Recently, the gambling market in the Netherlands divided into two niches: online and offline gambling. Statistics separated by niche show that there is an increasing trend in online gambling. This popularity appears to be higher than forecast.
Another surprising fact is that young adults are the most active on gambling sites. This is interesting considering that this age demographic is relatively inactive when it comes to offline gambling activities.
According to figures gathered by regulator de Kansspelautoriteit, young adults gambled online for 486 million euros in the first half of the second year the market opened up. It is estimated that this amount will exceed one billion over the entire course of 2022. This forecast is based on the growing trend of opening gambling companies and the soccer World Cup, which is an event that attracts many sports gamblers. When the market opened, there were only ten licensed online gambling companies. There are currently 22, and more expected to rise.
There are currently 563,000 active accounts which gamble online. Figures show that young adults aged 18 to 23 are the most active. More than one in five accounts belongs to a young adult. To protect young adults from addiction, the Dutch constitution law now states that (online) gambling advertisements may not be targeted to young adults.?
Gambling is not only potentially addictive, but can also be financially exploiting. On average, an online gambler loses 153 euros per month. According to gambling experts this amount is not shocking. The chairman of the Gambling Authority even states: “People were illigally gambling before the market opened. It is people’s own choice on where to spend their money on. There are some who can afford gambling well. Especially if they are recreational players who have control over their game, then I cannot judge where they spend their money.”?
However, he does acknowledge that there is an over-representation of young adults within this niche. He believes that this vulnerable group should be studied as a method to keep a close eye on this group. As there are no deep insights into the behavior of young gamblers and the impact of online gambling yet, it is hard to prevent a gambling addiction among this group. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the online generation that has grown up with the internet, much more than other generations, is interested in online gambling. Another important aspect is that it is easy for online players to participate, as deposits are relatively low online. On most platforms, players can already participate with just 5 euros. This 5 euro deposit casino ideal makes it accessible anyone to gamble. This makes online gambling even more attractive than offline gambling, considering most offline casino games require a higher stake.
Futhermore, this new niche is generating extra money for the Dutch treasury. In the first six months of the first year, almost 400 million euros in gaming tax came in. That is 300 million more than a year earlier. Thus, the online gambling industry is here to make money for the greater good.
