The Dutch government’s proposal to introduce a near-total ban on online gambling advertising has drawn criticism from industry observers, who argue the measures could strengthen illegal operators instead of reducing gambling-related harm.
The package announced in June by State Secretary for Legal Protection Claudia van Bruggen would largely prohibit online gambling advertising, introduce an overarching deposit limit across licensed operators, end sign-up bonuses and strengthen the CRUKS self-exclusion register.
“I find it particularly concerning that more and more people, and especially young people, have started gambling online and are getting into trouble as a result,” Van Bruggen said. “It is high time to reverse this trend.”
The proposal follows earlier restrictions on role models in gambling advertisements, untargeted advertising and sports sponsorship.
Debate Focuses on Channelisation
Justin Franssen, partner at Amsterdam gaming law firm Franssen Tolboom, said Dutch policy has moved away from its original goal of steering players toward licensed operators.
“Yes, I think it has – and actually, not even that quietly,” he said, arguing that preventing gambling harm has replaced channelisation as the primary objective.
Franssen also questioned whether evidence supports a complete advertising ban.
“It’s a very simple answer, there is no evidence,” he said. “There is no evidence that it will succeed.”
According to the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA), the licensed market accounted for roughly 49% of gross gaming revenue in early 2025. Trade bodies estimate the illegal market now exceeds €1 billion annually, while VNLOK reported that more than 95% of over 70,000 gambling advertisements identified on Meta platforms during the final quarter of 2025 came from unlicensed operators.
Franssen said around 95% of gambling advertising on Dutch social media already originates from illegal operators.
“What you ultimately achieve with a total ban is that you hand the entire stage to illegal operators while preventing licensed operators from informing consumers that a legal, regulated and protected alternative exists. In my view, it’s one of the worst policy ideas I’ve seen in many years.”
Denmark and Italy Raise Similar Concerns
Observers also pointed to developments in Denmark and Italy after tighter advertising restrictions.
Morten Rønde, outgoing director of Danish online gambling association Spillebranchen, said Denmark’s channelisation rate has fallen from 90% to 70% over three years.
“The growth of the unlicensed market is massive,” he said.
He added: “While it limits the visibility of licensed operators it leaves the unlicensed operators untouched as we currently have no way of keeping the unlicensed operators from advertising on search engines and social media. So, unintentionally unlicensed operation is strengthened.”
In Italy, where a broad gambling advertising ban has been in place since 2018, WH Partners Italy partner Quirino Mancini described the “Italian-style, draconian regulatory approach entailing an outright advertising ban” as “quite short-sighted and superficial and indeed highly likely not to achieve the scope of effectively tackling illegal gambling while protecting channelisation and the legal and licensed operators”.
Asked whether the Dutch approach risks undermining the regulated market, Mancini replied: “Absolutely so. This is quite a safe bet.”
Source:
“Netherlands gambling ad ban will ‘hand the entire stage to illegal operators’ warn experts”, igamingbusiness.com. July 28, 2026
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