In this guide, we discuss the legal situation surrounding Netherlands betting sites, and what you shou🉐ld cons💟ider while betting on sports online in the country.
- 1 Betting in the Netherlands – The Current Situat𒁏ion
- 2 Gambling Regulations in th💮e Netherlands for Gamblers
- 3 Gambling Regulations in the Net🎐herlands for Betti𒁏ng Sites
- 4 How T𒉰o Choose the Best Betting Sites in the Netherlands
- 5 What a Bookmaker Needs to Operate in the Netherlanဣds
- 6 Which Sports Are Popular in the Netherlands?
- 7 Popular Payment♚ Methods 🌳available for Netherlands Bettors
- 8 How To Deposit at Dutch Betting Sites
- 9 Other Country Betting Guides – Click Each Flag To Learn More
- 10 Best Netherlands Betting Sites FAQs
- 11 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 12 Sources
Betting in the Netherlands – The Current Situation
Attention!
Gambling in The Netherlands is 18+. Bonuses are𓆉 only eligible for play🔯ers 24+.
The (KOA) came into force on 1st April 2021 and brought about big changes for the better, as far as gamblers are concerned.
The most important takeaway from the whole document is that, on 1st October 2021, new licences became available for both international and Dutch betting sites. At the time of writing, there are now 24 operators who hold Dutch licences, and are sa𓆏fe to bet with.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in the Netherlands?
Yes, as long as you are betting with one of the online licensed bookmakers recognised by the Netherlands Gaming Control Board, then it’s perfectly legal.
Onceꩲ you ensure that your chosen bookmaker hold all the necessary credentials, you 🔯can go ahead and sign up with total peace of mind.
How Betting in The Netherlands Became Legal
Up until 2021, the sports betting monopoly in the Netherlands was run by De Lotto and Scientific Games Racing B.V. It was in fact illegal for any offshore operato♊r to offer any form of o🦩nline gambling in the country, since a single licence hadn’t yet been given out.
Despite this, the Dutch government♒ had failed to control the illegal market, and hundreds of operators abroad were still offering their services to Dutch users.
Fast forward to today, an🍸d bookies are now being regulated by the Netherlands Gambling Authority, who impose strict regulations on licensed operators.
INFO
It's importan🔴t that you use a licensed site when betting in the Netherlands. Once you do so, you can benefit from all the great free bet bonuses and betting promotions available.
The Future of Regulated Gambling in the Netherlands
With the Remote Gambling Act introduced in 2021, a lot has changed for many gambling websites. Online gambling is now officially and formally legalised, and big international brands like bet365, for instance, can now 🥃reach and serve Dutch players freely, as long as they have a KSA licence.
However, the strict regulations have led to the exodus of every betting exchange which was available in the Netherlands.🅷 So far, there are no sites offering the product, but this could change in the future.
Moreover, in 2023, as part of the Kansspelautoriteit 2020 -2024 Strategy, as of 1 July 2023, operators have been banned from using most forms of ads. They 💜can only use targeted adverts to customers over 24, and will have to provide evidence of this too. The age limit also applies to welcome offers and all other types of promotions.
Gambling Regulations in the Netherlands for Gamblers
As an indepedent gambling regulator in the Netherlands, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) have made efforไts to ensure that Dutch punters are kept safe when gambling.
KSA License
It’s important to only ♓use a gambling site licensed by KSA. Otherwise, you are at risk of gambling illegally. The best way to know that the bookie you are using is licensed is by locating this seal of approval. If it isn't shown either at the top or bottom of the front page, you arꦗe likely accessing an illegal site.
Age Limits
The legal age for gambling in the Netherlands is 18, with no exceptions allowed. To regist🦩er with an account at an online betting site, you must prove your age and identity with the correct documents. In order to claim a welcome bonus, you mus🅺t be over the age of 24.
Responsible Gambling
To help you gamble responsibly, KSA has launched a new website for their self exclusion platform, . Each betting site is required to check the list of people registered for self exclusion on Cruks before accepting a new customer. If you feel like you need a ‘reflection period’ at any time to take a break from gambling or stop betting entirely, you have the option to stop gambling for 6 months up to 99 years.
Gambling Regulations in the Netherlands for Betting Sites
KSA Licensing
Operators must obtain a licence with The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) t🐓o be eligible to operate legally in the country.
Responsible Gambling
It is the bookmaker’s responsibility to ensure players are gambling responsibly and have available tools to monitor their betting behaviour. The Netherlands have gone to great lengths to promote responsible gambling and make every effort to minimise frequent betting among younger punters (those who fall between the age range of 18-24). In fact, KSA’s 2020 – 2024 strategy has introduced a few updates as of 1 July 2023:
-
Operators canꩵnot use untargeted campaigns to advertise to punters.
-
Th🌌ey can only adv🌠ertise to customers over 24, and they cannot target vulnerable people either.
How To Choose the Best Betting Sites in the Netherlands
With all the options available, choosing which online betting site to open an account with might be overwhelming for some. To help you out with this, we’ve listed some advice for yo𒊎u to keep in mind:
1. Safety
When it comes to safety, you can never be too careful! While it’s always vital to register with an operator you can trust, this is especially important in the Netherlands. Since the Remote Gambling Act already puts operators under scrutiny, though,🍸 Dutch punters won't find it hard to find a licensed bookmaker.
2. Payments
Many of the best Dutch betting sites accept various forms of payment includin💙g credit and debit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers. The use of iDEAL is the best feature on most sites, allowing you t𒁏o deposit and withdraw from any bank account.
Find an online betting site which allows Dutch customers to place bets in euros to avoid paying hefty exchange rates.
3. Odds
You won’t get good value on your bets if your sportsbook isn’t offering you good prices. Use our odds overround calculator to find out a bet's profit margin and deter൩mine whether you’re getting your money’s worth.
4. Promotions
It is customary for the best betting sites to o൲ffer new customers a welcome bo💜nus or a sign-up offer. This normally comes in the form of free bet credits, risk-free bets, or other similar promotions.
ꦺ We don’t recommend using bonuses if you are below the age of 24.
5. Sports
As is the case with every bookmaker in the world, the more sports offered, the better. A bookie with a wide ra𒁃nge is generally more reliable, and the added sports give you the chance to bet on new ma🏅rkets.
All our bookies provide an excellent range of sports, but some sites specialise in a parꦜticular few.
However, unless you’re planning on using a VPN, some products are unavailable in the country. Chief amongst thes🍒e are betting exchanges, which are legal but are not offered by any licensed bookies at the time of writing.
6. Apps
While many Netherlands betting sites can boast some form of mobile platform, Circus.nl stands out with a brilliant app available for botไh Apple 🉐and Android.
The app is ⭕a great extension of the site and features much of the same sports, ma🐼rkets and odds, making it great for punters who are no strangers to a bit of travelling or to anyone who may prefer their phone over a computer to make bets.
What a Bookmaker Needs to Operate in the Netherlands
It is now mandatory for bettors to set maximum credit limits on their online sports betting accounts, while operators are expected to have a responsible gambling strategy in place.
Ads can only💝 target punters ovꦰer the age of 24.
Ads cannot target vulnerable groups.
A minimum ꧟of 95% of advꦬertising reaches people 24+.
Customer service agents must b☂e able to commun🌜icate in Dutch.
Dutch players’ identity must be verified before registration can be finalised.
Which Sports Are Popular in the Netherlands?
ꦗSteeped in sporting history, many sporting legends have hailed from Dutch soil. Johann Cruyff in football, Fanny Blankers-Koen in athletics, and Michael van Gerwe☂n in darts are just a few in the long list of greats. But which sports are the most popular for betting on?
Football
Football is the most popular sport in the Netherlands, which is unsurprising given the countlesꦆs players that have mesmerised in the trademark orange national team shirt.
The Eredivisie is the topꦿ leagu🦋e in the country, featuring storied clubs such as Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV.
Of course, the English Premier League is the most followed league worldwide, and is therefore home to l🐓oads of popular betting markets.
Another very popular competition is the UEFA Champions League, which features many big matches throughout the season. From the 2024/25 season onwards, the Dutch Eredivisie champions♍ and runners-up will automatically qualify to the Champions League. The third placed team will have to go through the qualification stages.
Hockey
Hockey is another popular sport, with the Netherlands having proudly organised the 2014 Hockey World Cup in the Hague – a 💙cup the Dutch team ha♊s won three times.
The success of both the women's and men's teams on th🎃e world stage has led to an exponential growth of the sport in the Netherlands. This is especially true for the women’s game, as they have won the last three Hockey World Cups in a row, bringing t🅺heir all-time total to nine.
Darts
Darts is a brilliant spectator sport as it offers a unique ‘pub-like’ atmosphere. Many events take place in the Netherlands, including the Dutch Masters and one leg of the Darts Premier League.
The Dutch can boast quite a few great darts players, with by far the best two being Michael Van Gerwin and Raymond van Barneveld. The latter have won multiple Darts World Cups and Darts World Championships, as well as many oth❀er major competitions in the sport.
Other sports the Du🐻tch are enthusiastic about are volleyball, cycling, horse racing, tennis, golf, MMA, UFC, and gymnaꦛstics.
Popular Payment Methods available for Netherlands Bettors
In an attempt to control the market, the Dutch government has tried to block transactions with online bookmakers in the past. However, the online gambling market, banks and payment service providers weren’t havin🃏g it. With the government’s efforts having proven unsuccessful, there are a number of payment option🎶s available to choose from.
Credit/Debit Cards
The traditional payment methods for many punters are credit and debit cards, such as Visa and Mastercard, which are trusted worldwide. They’re reliable with high payment limits, but t🔯heir processing tim🎐es may be slower compared to e-wallets.
iDEAL
This Dutch-based secure payment provider is♕ supremely popular amongst punters and is supported at every Netherlands betting site. Depositing is instant without any processing fees and is arguably the most secure way to go. All you need to do is select it during check out, choose your bank, and follow the instructions as you normally would. In a way, it also serves as an encryption service for your bank transfers.
Bank Transfer
With so many restrictions, bank transfers could be the most hassle-fr🐠ee of the lot. When withdrawing winnings, bookmakers can only send funds through bank transfers.
Skrill, NETELLER, and Cryptocurrencies
If you’re planning on using e-wall♈ets, as well as cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to use iDEAL as the payment provider. All you need to do is choose Skrill, NETELLER or your crypto banks as an option.
How To Deposit at Dutch Betting Sites
The depositing process may differ 🍎slightly depending on the bookmaker, but the general outline ꧅is always the same:
First you must register a new🍌 account – this can typically be found on the top right of the page.
Enter the ‘My Account’ section of the site to view y✱our settings and vario𝐆us options.
You will find the options to deposit and witꦿhdraw d🦄isplayed here – select deposit.
Choose your preferred payment method and the amount of funds you would like to transfe𒅌r.
Once that’s done, confirm your transaction, and your money should be deposited insta𓄧ntly into your account.
Other Country Betting Guides – Click Each Flag To Learn More
Planning on taking a holiday, or rel♏ocating for good to one of these countries? These articles will keep you up to date on all you need to know about betting in a specific location.
Looking for a general overview of betting abroad? Check out our extensive international betting guide.
Best Netherlands Betting Sites FAQs
Yes, it is. The Netherlands Gambling Authority doesn’t restrict any online gaming, meaning that a player engaging in the activity cannoཧt be prosecuted. Dutch bettors don’t need to worry about this.
Since the recent Remote Gambling Act, both the online sports betting market as well as the online casino market have become legal. Licensed bookmakers can now offer betting odds, and bettors can place legal sports bets in a saf൲e and regulated market.
The majority of sp꧂orts bets in t💦he Netherlands are placed on football. The Dutch are also into hockey and horse racing in particular.
If it’s sports betting you are after, we highly recommend bet365, with their renowned sportsbook second to none within the in🌳dustry🐼.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Whether you’re betting while on holiday or you’ve made the Netherlands your home, it’s always important to know the legality surrounding online betting.
With a clear legal framework now in place, the Dutch market continues to open up, with locals now able to enjoy diverse betting options. Dutch punters can also look forward to a range of sports and events to wager on, along with a vibrant aဣnd exciting betting landscape online. So, place your bets wisely, and may good luck be on your side!
Sources
Coefficient success: Netherlands Secure Second Direct Champions League ticket (2023) Football Oranje. Available at: //www.football-oranje.com/coefficient-success-netherlands-secure-seജcond-direct-champions-league-ticket/#:~:text=That%20means%20two%20sides%20from,huge%20boost%20for%20the%20Eredivisie.