Netherlands

The Netherlands is a European country with a strong economy and a solvent population where gambling, both online and offline, is legal.

The sector is regulated by the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA), which adheres to strict requirements and restrictions for licensed operators.

In the near future, the KSA intends to completely ban gambling advertising of gambling games, which is still partially allowed.

Such strict conditions for operators contribute to the growth of the black market, which attracts players by the lack of restrictions on deposits and strict user verification.

The regulator has already noted an increase in cash flows on illegal gambling sites. Thus, the financial consequences from the shadow sector are becoming more and more significant.

To date, the main goal of the authorities is to prevent the spread of gambling among young people.

The increasing popularity of illegal sites, according to the government, indicates that current measures are not effective enough and that the control of online gambling in the Netherlands needs to be strengthened.

It is likely that the legal industry will face total control and tightening of the adopted laws.

Population

The population of the country is almost 18 million people. The country has a very high level of urbanization: more than 90% of the Dutch live in cities.

The increase in the population began in 2015, and since then it has been growing by an average of 120 thousand per year. This is largely due to the immigration factor.

The average age is 42 years and life expectancy is just over 80 years.

As of 2024, the population had the following age distribution:

• 5% - under 4 years old
• 8.1% - between 5% and 12 years of age
• 5.4% - 13 to 17 years old
• 8.6% - 18 to 24 years old
• 13% - 25 to 34 years old
• 12.2% - from 35 to 44 years old
• 12.8% - from 45 to 54 years old
• 13.9% - from 55 to 64 years old
• 20.9% - 65 years and older

Male population - 49.7%, female population - 50.3%.

The literacy rate (ability to read and write) is 99%.

The national composition of the country is as follows: Dutch - 75.4%, EU citizens (excluding Dutch) - 6.4%, Turks - 2.4%, Moroccans - 2.4%, Surinamese - 2.1%, Indonesians - 2%, others - 9.3%.

Language: Dutch (official), West Frisian (common in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands), Papiamento (native language of the population of Aruba, Curaçao and Boneira).

About 90%-93% of the inhabitants speak English, 71% speak German.

Religion: atheists - 57%, Catholics - 17%, Protestants - 14.8, Muslims - 6%, other religions (including Hindus, Buddhists, Jews) - 5.2%.

Major cities: Amsterdam (capital), Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Groningen.

Currency: since 2002 the monetary unit is euro (EUR). 100 EUR = 103 USD.

Financial opportunities

The employment rate in the country is 82%, the unemployment rate is 3.7% and the long-term unemployment rate is 0.5%.

The youth unemployment rate is almost 9%.

About 3.2% of the population is considered poor. Amsterdam (6.6%), Rotterdam (6.2%), The Hague (6.1%) and Vlieland (6.0%) have the highest poverty rates.

The average wage is $3800 and the minimum wage is $2700.

Mentality

The three main principles on which Dutch society is built are pleasure, comfort, and friends.

Residents prefer things to be carefully planned and organized, with no surprises.

They rarely buy luxury goods and more often invest in housing, avoiding buying unnecessary things.

The Dutch are not a hierarchical society. Here bosses and subordinates, elders and juniors, parents and children, students and teachers communicate as equals.

The population is not superstitious at all. For example, the number of flowers in a bouquet can be even or odd - no difference.

Humor in the country is sarcastic and direct. Some people may find it primitive. There are practically no taboo topics here.

The inhabitants have a developed sense of self-esteem combined with a strong team spirit. The Dutch know the value of their opinions and are not afraid to express them.

Many maintain a small but close circle of friends. Therefore, residents do not feel the need to make an effort to make new acquaintances.

iGaming market volume

In the first half of 2024, the gross revenue of the legal online gambling sector amounted to $781 million, an 8% increase compared to the second half of 2023.

The number of gaming accounts in early 2024 grew to an average of 1.07 million per month, while the number of active players declined to around 455,000 per month.

Online casinos dominate the sector, accounting for 72% of GGR. Online betting accounts for 7% of the total gambling market.

According to the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA), illegal operators retain 13% of gross gambling revenue.

At the same time, it is likely that the government does not disclose the exact figures, as on average the Dutch google illegal platforms about 700 thousand times a month.

Internet accessibility

At the beginning of 2024, the internet penetration rate was 99% and the number of internet users exceeded 17 million.

The average speed of wireless internet via Wi-Fi is 93.09 Mbps.

The average speed of a mobile internet connection is 19.88 Mbps.

The volume of device usage:

• mobile - 60%
• desktop - 35%
• tablet - 5%

Popular web applications: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Facebook Messenger.

In January 2024, there are 15 million social media users in the Netherlands.

Number of active users in 2024:

• YouTube - 15 million
• Instagram - 8.15 million
• Facebook - 8.05 million
• TikTok - 6.01 million
• Facebook Messenger - 4.4 million

Player preferences

Soccer is the most popular sport for betting. In addition, residents prefer tennis, hockey, cycling, basketball and cyber sports.

In online casinos, classic slots with fruit and sevens continue to be popular. Slots with pirates, Egyptian motifs and fantasy themes are also in demand.

Additional mini-games offering big wins and progressive jackpots are particularly enticing to residents.

Players prefer to use gambling apps instead of mobile versions of websites. In addition, the country's cryptocurrency market is booming, making crypto-casinos particularly in demand in the region.

According to KSA estimates, about 5% of the country's adult population and more than 22% of the youth from 18 to 23 years old regularly participate in gambling.