Shared Priorities on Player Protection and Illegal Market Suppression
Michel Groothuizen, Chair of the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has outlined how the regulator plans to engage with the Netherlands’ incoming coalition government. His remarks highlight a constructive tone, particularly on issues where policymakers and the regulator are aligned. Both sides, Groothuizen noted, place strong emphasis on protecting vulnerable players and curbing illegal gambling activity, two themes expected to anchor the new cabinet’s regulatory agenda.
Groothuizen framed these objectives as foundational to maintaining a safe and sustainable gambling ecosystem. According to the KSA Chair, meaningful progress depends on reinforcing consumer safeguards, strengthening duty-of-care obligations, and ensuring that enforcement actions effectively disrupt unlicensed operators targeting Dutch consumers.
Reservations Over a Blanket Advertising Ban
Despite supporting the coalition’s overarching goals, Groothuizen expressed caution regarding proposals for a total ban on online gambling advertising. He argued that an outright prohibition could generate unintended consequences. In regulated markets, licensed operators rely on advertising to distinguish themselves from illegal providers and communicate compliance, responsible gaming tools, and legal protections.
Reducing the visibility of licensed brands, Groothuizen warned, risks driving channelisation in the wrong direction — potentially pushing players toward offshore platforms that operate outside Dutch oversight. From a regulatory standpoint, he suggested that targeted restrictions, content controls, and stricter monitoring may deliver better outcomes than a universal ban.
Social Media’s Disproportionate Role in Illegal Promotion
A key concern raised by Groothuizen relates to the volume of gambling promotions circulating on social media platforms. He observed that a significant share of gambling advertisements seen by Dutch users originates from illegal operators, not licensed companies. This imbalance complicates policy responses focused solely on tightening rules for compliant businesses.
Groothuizen emphasised that effective mitigation requires platform-level cooperation, enhanced detection mechanisms, and faster takedown processes. Without addressing the sources of unlawful advertising, additional constraints on legal operators may have limited impact on consumer exposure to risky or deceptive promotions.
Debate Over Limiting the Number of Licences
Another proposal under discussion involves placing a cap on the number of online gambling licences. Groothuizen questioned whether numerical limits would meaningfully address concerns such as advertising intensity or player harm. He advocated instead for quality-based regulation, where market participation is determined by rigorous compliance standards, financial integrity checks, and responsible gaming performance metrics.
In Groothuizen’s view, robust entry requirements and continuous supervision provide stronger protections than arbitrary licence ceilings. A competitive yet tightly regulated environment, he argued, encourages innovation while preserving consumer safety.
Commitment to Evidence-Based Policy and Dialogue
While challenging specific measures, Groothuizen reiterated the KSA’s readiness to collaborate with the new government. He stressed that regulatory reforms should be guided by empirical evidence, market data, and measurable outcomes rather than purely political considerations.
The KSA’s stance underscores a broader tension facing modern gambling regulators: balancing public health priorities, market channelisation, and effective enforcement in an increasingly digital landscape. As the coalition advances its policy programme, the dialogue between lawmakers and the regulator will likely shape the future trajectory of Dutch gambling oversight — particularly in areas of advertising regulation, consumer protection, and black-market containment.
