Dutch government considers phased age rise for higher-risk gambling
State Secretary Teun Struycken told MPs that a proposed increase in the minimum age for higher-risk gambling from 18 to 21 may be phased in. He said the change could advance with each generation over four years; the ministry had not researched whether affected 18-to-20-year-olds might move to illegal gambling. Struycken said the regulator would publish an assessment of measures introduced on 1 October 2024 in May.
A phased age limit would affect operators’ eligible customer base and the timing of compliance changes.