ChristenUnie MP Bikker submitted parliamentary questions about reports of rising gambling problems among young people in the Netherlands. The questions cite concerns that one in five minors gambles despite the legal prohibition; Justice Minister Foort van Oosten said on 30 October that he needed more time because not all information had arrived.
The ministers’ response could shape scrutiny of youth gambling and proposed safeguards.
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The Netherlands' KSA said online casino revenue fell 18.2% year on year in 2025, while betting revenue declined 30.2%. The regulator linked the betting comparison partly to the European football championship in 2024; it said active gambling accounts rose 7.2% in the first half of 2026, while the number of players fell 1.2%.
Dutch online casino revenue fell 18.2% year on year in 2025 and betting revenue declined 30.2%, the KSA said. The comparison for betting revenue was affected by the European football championship in 2024.
The Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates said a review found 10 pages promoting illegal gambling or explaining ways around Cruks among Google’s first four results pages; two appeared on the first page. It cited monthly search volumes totalling 7,520 across three related terms, while noting these do not represent distinct people or confirmed visits to illegal casinos. The KVA expects further research results later in November 2026.
Dutch affiliate body Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates (KVA) said it found ten pages offering illegal gambling or information on circumventing Cruks, the Netherlands' gambling exclusion register, within Google's first four pages of results. Two appeared on the first results page, although rankings can vary by user and reflect a snapshot in time.
An interview with Leadstar Media CEO Eskil Kvarnström argues that restrictions on betting in Brazil may redirect consumers to unlicensed operators rather than eliminate demand. The Bet Legal panel, maintained by Iron Security in partnership with ANJL, mapped 710 unauthorised betting sites two days after MP 1.394 was announced, up from 295; LegitBet had confirmed more than 34 thousand suspected sites by the end of October.
Brazilian betting restrictions risk driving customers towards unlicensed operators, Leadstar Media chief executive Eskil Kvarnström said in an interview.
The Netherlands’ regulated online gambling market generated €602 million in gross gaming revenue in the second half of 2025, according to the Kansspelautoriteit’s latest available data. The regulator recorded 31 active licence holders in December 2025, while monthly average player losses stood at €124. The figures come as the Dutch market faces higher gambling taxes and competition from unlicensed operators.
The Netherlands' regulated online gambling market generated €602m in gross gaming revenue in the second half of 2025, according to the latest available data from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
Spain requires online gambling operators to verify payment methods used for deposits and withdrawals from 28 October 2026 under Royal Decree 813/2026. Existing customers have six months to verify or replace linked payment methods; winnings cannot be withdrawn until the operator confirms that the payment method and account have the same holder. The Consumer Affairs Ministry said the measure aims to make identity fraud harder and reported 8,675 related complaints in 2025, up 12% year on year.
Spanish online gambling operators must check the payment methods that players use for deposits and withdrawals. The requirement comes from Real Decreto 813/2026, a royal decree set on 7 October that appeared in the Spanish official gazette one day afterwards. According to the source, the decree took effect twenty days after it was published.