The Netherlands opened a regulated online casino market in October 2021, and since then only operators with a Dutch licence may offer casino games to people living there. The regulator is strict, both with unlicensed casinos and with the websites that promote them. This guide explains how the system works, how to check whether a site is licensed, how the CRUKS exclusion register protects players, how gambling tax works and where to find help.
Is online gambling legal in the Netherlands?
Yes, as long as the operator holds a Dutch licence. The Remote Gambling Act (Wet Kansspelen op afstand, often shortened to KOA) amended the Betting and Gaming Act and took effect on 1 October 2021. It allows online casino games, poker and sports betting from companies licensed by the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa).
Anyone who offers online gambling to Dutch residents without that licence breaks the law. The same applies to promoting such offers. The Ksa has fined unlicensed operators heavily for years, and since 2025 it has also issued orders and penalty payments against affiliate websites, media companies and marketing agencies that promoted unlicensed casinos to Dutch players.
A reform of the Dutch gambling framework is under discussion, with proposals for stricter advertising rules and more player protection. Until changes are adopted, the KOA rules described here apply.
Who regulates online casinos in the Netherlands?
The Kansspelautoriteit, the Netherlands Gambling Authority, is based in The Hague. It grants licences, supervises licence holders, manages the CRUKS exclusion register and takes action against illegal gambling. It can impose fines, issue orders subject to penalty payments and ask payment providers, app stores and online platforms to stop facilitating unlicensed sites.
Licensed operators must meet detailed duty of care rules. They have to monitor playing behaviour, check whether deposits are affordable above set limits, and contact players who show signs of risky gambling.
How can you check whether an online casino is licensed in the Netherlands?
A licensed site is easy to verify, and checking before you register protects both your money and your rights as a player.
- Go to kansspelautoriteit.nl and open the register of licence holders for online games of chance.
- Find the operator and check that the exact domain you plan to use is listed under its licence.
- Look for the Ksa licence logo and licence details in the site footer, and make sure they match the register.
- Confirm that the site asks you to verify your identity and checks the CRUKS register when you sign up. Licensed sites must do both.
- Treat any site that accepts Dutch players without these checks, or that names only a foreign licence, as unlicensed in the Netherlands.
What is CRUKS and how does it protect players?
CRUKS (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen) is the national exclusion register. Every licensed online casino, Holland Casino venue and arcade must check it before letting someone play. If you are registered, you are refused access to all of them.
You can register yourself on cruksregister.nl using your DigiD. The minimum period is six months and an exclusion cannot be cancelled early. Relatives and operators can also request an involuntary registration, which the Ksa assesses case by case.
Licensed sites must also offer deposit, login and playing time limits, and young adults face extra checks on deposits. An exclusion in CRUKS has no effect at unlicensed sites, which is one of the main reasons the Ksa targets them.
- Minimum exclusion period of six months
- Applies to all licensed online and land-based gambling
- Registration through DigiD on cruksregister.nl
- Cannot be cancelled early once registered
What are the risks of unlicensed online casinos?
A site without a Dutch licence is outside the Ksa's supervision. If it refuses a withdrawal, closes your account or changes its terms, there is no Dutch body that can step in on your behalf.
Unlicensed sites do not check CRUKS, do not have to apply Dutch affordability checks and are not bound by Dutch advertising rules. For anyone who has excluded themselves, or who is trying to keep their gambling under control, that makes them a real risk. You may also have to declare and pay gambling tax on winnings yourself.
Do you pay tax on gambling winnings in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands levies a gambling tax (kansspelbelasting). For licensed online casinos the operator pays it on its gross gaming revenue, so as a player you do not pay anything on your winnings. The rate was raised to 37.8 percent from 1 January 2026.
If you win at an operator that is not licensed in the Netherlands, the situation is different. In some cases the player must file a gambling tax return and pay the tax on the winnings personally. The Belastingdienst explains when this applies, so check its guidance or ask a tax adviser if you are unsure.
Which payment methods do licensed Dutch casinos accept?
iDEAL is the most common deposit method, alongside debit cards, PayPal, Trustly and bank transfer. Everything is in euros, and both deposits and withdrawals must use an account in your own name. Licensed operators are not allowed to lend you money or let you play on credit.
If a site offers to take payments in cryptocurrency or through an unfamiliar intermediary, that usually means it is not operating under a Dutch licence.
Where can you get help with gambling in the Netherlands?
Loket Kansspel is the national helpline for gambling problems. It is free and anonymous, reachable by phone 24 hours a day and by chat and WhatsApp during the day, and it can refer you to professional treatment. You find the contact details on loketkansspel.nl. Addiction care services in every region also offer treatment, usually covered by basic health insurance.
If you want to stop gambling altogether, registering in CRUKS is the most effective step, because it blocks access to every licensed provider at once.
Myths vs facts
- Myth: An EU licence from Malta is enough to offer casino games to Dutch players.
- Fact: Since October 2021 only operators licensed by the Kansspelautoriteit may offer online gambling to people in the Netherlands. A licence from another EU country does not count.
- Myth: Only the casinos themselves can be fined for illegal gambling.
- Fact: The Ksa also takes action against affiliates, media companies and marketing agencies that promote unlicensed casinos, with penalty payments running into the hundreds of thousands of euros.
- Myth: You always pay tax on online casino winnings in the Netherlands.
- Fact: At licensed sites the operator pays the gambling tax, so your winnings are paid out without deduction. Players may have to pay it themselves only when winning at operators without a Dutch licence.
- Myth: A CRUKS registration can be cancelled whenever you like.
- Fact: The minimum period is six months and it cannot be ended early. That is deliberate, because it gives you a fixed break from gambling.
Before you claim
- The operator and exact domain appear in the Ksa licence register
- The site checks your identity and the CRUKS register at sign-up
- Deposit, login and playing time limits are available
- Payments are in euros through an account in your own name
- No credit or payment in cryptocurrency is offered
- You know how to register in CRUKS on cruksregister.nl
- You know where to reach Loket Kansspel: loketkansspel.nl