The growing popularity of online gambling helped take the Dutch gaming industry’s earnings past €4 billion last year, an increase of more than 20% from 2022.

Gambling returns, measured as income less winnings, have grown strongly since the ban on online betting was legalised in October 21, latest figures from the regulator Ksa show.

Last year was also the first time since 2019 that there were no coronavirus restrictions for the whole 12 months, leading to an increase in casino visits.

Licensed casinos are still the biggest players with a 33% market share, followed by lotteries on 30%. Sports betting makes up 9% of the total.

The average Dutch adult spent €272 on gambling in 2023, up from €258 the year before but still below the EU average of €339.

However, there are concerns about the number of young people gambling online and growing problems with addiction.

More young gamblers

Despite efforts to restrict advertising targeting people under 24, people in the 18-23 age group accounted for 10.8% of spending on betting sites in the first six months of 2024, compared to 9.6% in the second half of 2023.

The latest edition of the annual survey of online gambling behaviour, the Online Kansspel Barometer, found that 30% of people under 35 gambled regularly and 44% of young gamblers were at risk of becoming addicted.

The number of people seeking help for gambling addiction increased by 28% last year to 2,456, but the Ksa said the rise was partly due to more clinics reporting figures. On a like-for-like basis the number of clients was up by 16%.

Calls for ban

The centre-right Christian Democrats (CDA) and the orthodox Protestant SGP last week stepped up their calls for online gambling to be banned by tabling a bill in parliament.

MPs for the two parties said legalising online gambling had had “only negative consequences” and saw links between “gambling and financial problems, and gambling addiction and suicide.”

CDA MP Derk Boswijk said: “Gambling companies make huge profits, but the social cost is enormous. They also don’t take their duty of care seriously enough.”

Two other parties, the ChristenUnie and NSC, have said the industry should take more measures to prevent under-18s accessing their websites, but stopped short of advocating an outright ban.