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Netherlands Remote Gambling Act Implementation Delayed Until March

  • Implementation of the Remote Gambling Act has been delayed another two months
  • The original rollout date was July 2020, later moved to January 2021
  • The application process for online gambling licenses should begin in March
  • The legislation also aims to protect gamblers and to crackdown on gambling-related crime
Andrew O’Malley

Tulip bed and Netherlands flag in the foreground with a windmill in the background
The Remote Gambling Act has been delayed in the Netherlands once more, this time from January 1 to March 1. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Another delay

The Netherlands gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has announced that there will be another delay to rolling out the implementation of the Remote Gambling Act. The new date for the online gambling legislation is now set for March 1, 2021. 

online gambling market will launch six months later

The original date for the implementation of the legislation was July 1, 2020, which was then pushed back to January 1, 2021. The online gambling market will launch six months later.

At the same time, the new Central Register of Exclusion of Gaming (CRUKS) will launch for both land-based and online gambling operators. The additional two month delay is to give extra time to operators to prepare for the new laws. 

The delay was delivered to the Dutch Lower House by Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker. The draft regulations have been publicized, with the official announcement of the subordinate regulations to come before their launch.?

Beginning of licensing

If everything goes to plan and the legislation goes into effect in March 2021 with no further delays, the application process for online gambling licenses can begin. Close to 200 parties have already declared their interest in obtaining an online license. 

The Remote Gambling Act, includes a focus on avoiding gambling addiction, combating crime related to gambling, offering additional protection for gamblers, and stricter advertising rules.

All operators must be affiliated with CRUKS before the implementation date arrives and must have the ability to launch the system before it becomes mandatory.

As part of CRUKS, all gamblers need to have their information checked in the system before they can enter a land-based facility. There will be heavy penalties for any operators that do not adhere to these rules.

Cracking down

KSA began a tender in June to appoint a new operator for the new national problem gambling service. The Dutch authorities have always come down hard on any errant operators that target Dutch residents. 

It has handed out many fines in recent years, usually for offshore online gambling platforms targeting residents. For example, in October 2019, the KSA fined LeoVegas €350,000 ($413,494) and Royal Panda €400,000 ($472,564). Both operators will have to wait two years once the legal market opens before they can apply for an operating license.

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