Dutch gambling minister refuses to rule out stricter ad regulations 

Teun Struycken, the Dutch minister for legal protection who oversees gambling, has addressed the prospect of more restrictions regarding gambling advertising in the Netherlands. 

While addressing MPs in the country’s House of Representatives, Struycken explained he will mull over whether “further tightening of the rules is desirable”, amid concerns the current regulations set to be enforced imminently will be insufficient. 

Currently, Dutch operators are banned from targeting those under the age of 24 and using ‘role models’, such as athletes, celebrities and social media influencers, as part of marketing materials. 

From 1 July 2025 onwards, gambling sponsorships for sports teams will be banned, mirroring a rule that was recently enforced by neighbouring Belgium.  

However, there have been examples of operators sidestepping the rule and finding loopholes, which has created fear that the Dutch regulated market could see a similar situation.

Struycken said the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) will do its utmost to prevent operators in the country from doing so in the future.

“I cannot rule out that there are parties in the Netherlands that will try to display sponsor names or logos related to their gambling company in a similar way as in Belgium,” Struycken explained.  

“If this happens, the [Gambling] Authority (KSA) will use all legal means to prevent or stop this.” 

Struycken’s desire to amend the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) to address the link between marketing companies and internet platforms, as well as a general strengthening of ad regulations, guarantee that the Netherlands will not see loopholes exploited as seen in Belgium. 

“These two measures provide for a clearer advertising ban with limited exceptions, which makes circumventing the rules much more difficult,” he added. 

Last month, Struycken outlined “fundamental changes” that are required to improve the Dutch market, with plans that included a tightening of advertising rules to “severely limit the appeal of online gambling”. 

At the time, the Dutch minister did not disclose exactly how stricter ad rules would materialise. 

Earlier this week, the KSA cleared betting tips platform Analyse Master of any wrongdoing following an investigation, but conceded it did harbour concerns over some of the tipster’s practices, including the use of role models to promote its services. 

KSA chief Michel Groothuizen addressed Strucyken’s recently released plans, adding: “I am pleased that State Secretary Teun Struycken also announced in his recent vision on gambling that he wants to adjust the advertising rules, so that we as a supervisory authority can also take active action against these types of parties.” 

The Dutch regulator does not back the idea of a full-scale advertising ban, as Groothuizen explained to EGR in February. 

“I consider it the wrong way to forbid legal parties to make advertisements,” he remarked.  

“We may limit that. We might put restrictions on it, we may ask conditions, but we do think as an authority we should give the legal operators the opportunity to show themselves and to enable new customers to find them.” 

The KSA has also expressed to Struycken its desire to ensure the new ad regulations “apply to everyone”, instead of being exclusive to licence-holders. 

The gambling minister noted: “In this way, the KSA can take direct action against the advertisers themselves, such as news sites or football clubs.  

“This is in line with my intentions for changes in the area of advertising regulations.”