Kansspelautoriteit reports 11% growth in regulated online gambling revenue

The Kansspelautoriteit published reports on 29 October on the development of the Dutch gambling sector, recording an 11% rise in gross revenue from regulated online gambling in the first half of 2026, to €670m. The regulator said licensed operators accounted for 59% of online gambling gross revenue in the period, against 54% in the previous half-year, leaving about 41% with unlicensed operators.

The Kansspelautoriteit estimated that 94% of players used only licensed platforms. It said the gap between that share and the licensed operators' 59% share of gross revenue suggested that those using the illegal market recorded considerably higher average losses than users of regulated operators.

Monthly active accounts rose from 1.38 million to 1.48 million, while the number of players stayed relatively stable at around 490,000 a month. The regulator considered that some users might be using several accounts to get around the deposit limits set by each operator. It also said the football World Cup held in June 2026 would have contributed to growth in sports betting and in newly registered accounts.

The reports contrast with 2025, when gross revenue across the legal market, both land-based and online, fell from €4.5bn to €4.1bn. Online casino revenue fell 18.2% and internet sports betting 30.2%.

On player protection, the statistics showed that the number of people in treatment for gambling addiction rose by more than 14% in 2025 compared with the previous year. The data reopened discussion of the balance between consumer protection and channelling players to the regulated market, particularly after deposit limits and other responsible gambling measures were introduced at the end of 2024.