“It’s a shame how often Dutch players choose illegal casinos,” the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) said as the country recorded a decline in its channelization rate. Whereas 93% of players preferred playing with legal operators in July 2023, only 90% of them did so in December.
The decline was outlined in the Kansspelautoriteit’s latest report, which also reported an increase in annual gross gaming revenue to $1.51 billion. While this figure was higher than the one reported in 2022, it also demonstrated a slowdown in the local market’s growth.
NOGA’s director, Peter-Paul de Goeij, commented on the matter, expressing his concern about the latest figures. In addition to worrying about the suboptimal channelization rates, he was also uneasy about the slow growth of the Dutch iGaming market.
According to De Goeij, online gambling in the Netherlands is experiencing slower growth than in other European countries, despite clear similarities between European gamblers. He attributed the unimpressive figures to the fact that many more players are now gambling with riskier offshore companies.
Too Many Safeguards Channel Players Toward the Black Market
The NOGA said that the slower growth might be due to the recent ban on untargeted gambling advertising and the prohibition of ads featuring celebrities.
According to De Goeij, the Kansspelautoriteit might be relying on assumptions too much while ignoring the possible effect of the ad ban on the industry. Additionally, the safer gambling measures might be getting out of hand, he suggested, arguing that the player protections might be alienating some of the Dutch consumers.
With too many locks on the door, the online gambling Dutchman goes one door further, to one of the tens of thousands of illegal gambling sites.
Peter-Paul de Goeij, director, NOGA
The NOGA reiterated its commitment to a safe, responsible and attractive online market. Because of that, the association asked the Kansspelautoriteit to tackle illegal gambling websites with priority and block operators that take money from local players without having a license.
The NOGA reminded players that offshore websites never offer sufficient player protection and expose gamblers to harm.