The fate of gambling reforms in the Netherlands hangs in the balance following the collapse of the coalition government. Tensions are running high in the Dutch parliament, just a year into the four-party coalition government’s term in power. While online gambling in the Netherlands is supervised by the Remote Gambling Bill of 2021, illegal gambling sites continue to thrive in the absence of strict enforcement efforts. The broader regulatory reforms are part of the government’s efforts to rein in illicit operators.
Highlights of the Story
- Geert Wilders of the PVV party revoked his support for the coalition government, citing his peers’ refusal to sign a new immigration policy, leading to a power void in the Dutch parliament.
- The Dutch gambling bill amendment will introduce affordability limits and increase the age limit to 21 for slots and live casino games.
- The government has also proposed to ban indiscriminate targeting via ad campaigns on television, radio, social media, and streaming platforms.
PM’s Last-Ditch Effort to Save the Coalition Government
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof convened an emergency meeting on June 3, 2025, as a last-ditch effort to iron out the differences. However, Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing party PVV (Party for Freedom), stormed out of the meeting. Thereafter, in a social media post, Wilders announced his withdrawal of support for the coalition government, citing his peers’ refusal to sign a new immigration policy.
After Wilders’ remarks gained traction, the Prime Minister fired back, calling his actions “irresponsible and unnecessary”. Shortly after, Schoof called for the resignation of all PVV party members from the government and mobilised the remaining MPs into a caretaker government.
“The government will continue to operate in the interests of our people in a caretaker capacity under legal provisions until re-elections are held,” Schoof remarked. New elections are on the cards, with Schoof stating that he would like to run for Prime Minister again. However, Wilders has expressed his interest in competing for that position, hoping to capitalise on the nation’s anti-immigration sentiment.
The Impact of Political Instability on the Dutch iGaming Market
While state-owned Holland Casino has a monopoly on the country’s land-based gambling market, online gambling in the Netherlands is pretty liberal. The 2021 Remote Gambling Act (KOA) opened the industry to privately owned domestic and foreign gambling companies.
The Dutch iGaming industry has been flourishing ever since, reaching €1.1 billion in 2024. Operations in the regulated industry commenced with 10 licensed gaming sites in 2021, and the tally has now expanded to 30. The Dutch government had previously decided against privatising land-based Holland Casino and the state-owned National Lottery, signaling its intention to retain control over key areas of the gambling market.
However, concerns about unlicensed gambling sites and responsible gambling protocols have led the lawmakers to push for widespread reformations.
Teun Struycken currently serves as the Minister for Legal Protection, assuming responsibility from Franc Weerwind, who discharged his duties between 2022 and 2024. Struycken has continued Weerwind’s push for introducing affordability limits and increasing the minimum age for slots and live casinos to 21 years.
Struycken has also proposed to issue a blanket ban on all untargeted ad campaigns on television, radio, social media, and streaming platforms. However, considering the current state of parliamentary affairs, any action leading to regulatory reforms in the iGaming industry seems unlikely at the moment despite the industry’s efforts to counter illegal gambling. Depending on the results of the re-election campaign, a new head could be appointed to the Legal Protection Ministry, with a different vision for the industry’s future.
The latest Dutch parliament comprised four parties, namely the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB). If an alternate coalition between GroenLinks (PvdA) and Democrats (D66) forms after re-election, the focus would shift to social initiatives through gambling taxation. That would further pressurise the legal gambling sector, which is already prepping for a tax rise to 37.8% in June.