Dutch Lawmakers Call for Stronger Enforcement Tools to Combat Illegal Gambling Sites

Dutch lawmakers have called for tougher and faster action against illegal gambling sites, with broad support across political parties. The issue dominated a three-hour Gambling Committee debate that also examined advertising rules, player protections and the legal gambling age. Ten committee members reviewed research papers, industry reports and a letter from Justice State Secretary KT van Bruggen on associated risks, including the Kansspelautoriteit’s (KSA) estimate that channelisation to the legal market had fallen below 50%.

Despite divisions on other topics, MPs agreed that enforcement against illegal operators required immediate strengthening. They urged website blocking measures and called for expanded KSA authority to act against payment providers, social media platforms and affiliates that enable unlicensed activity.

Government Plans for DNS Blocking and Platform Accountability

Van Bruggen confirmed that legislation is being prepared to enable DNS blocking of illegal gambling sites, with a public consultation slated for early 2027. Lawmakers raised concerns over illegal advertisements on social media, prompting government engagement with Meta and Google that will include reports every six months. VVD members pressed for a harder stance toward major technology platforms, while broader EU action through the Digital Services Act was also discussed. SGP MP Diederik van Dijk and CDA MP Tijs van den Brink backed raising the legal gambling age from 18 to 21, but van Bruggen said additional evidence is needed to avoid pushing players toward unlicensed operators. Van Dijk additionally called for reversal of the 2021 online gambling legalization, a ban on advertising and scrutiny of the government’s role in state-owned operators Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij. As reported by Yogonet International, van Bruggen stated that black market enforcement would be prioritized, with age-limit changes to be revisited only after the illegal market is brought under control.

Sequencing Enforcement Before Further Restrictions

Given the KSA’s estimate that channelisation to the legal market had fallen below 50%, the clear cross-party emphasis on enforcement tools ahead of other reforms reflects a pragmatic regulatory order. DNS blocking legislation and platform accountability measures, once enacted, should help restore licensed market share, yet their effectiveness will turn on execution speed and cooperation with technology providers. Dutch regulators and licensed operators will need to track resulting channelisation data closely to confirm whether these steps deliver the intended shift away from the black market.

Reporting: Yogonet International

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