The Netherlands is one of the active participants of the European Union and an important political and economic hub of Europe. Logically enough, this country is trying to bring its legislation into compliance with the EU laws. However, not all the spheres of activity are covered yet. One of the “raw” projects is the national Gambling Act, which is being developed now. This Act, supposedly, will regulate the activities of online and offline gambling operators in the territory of the Netherlands. Also, it will establish the procedure of obtaining a license by gambling operators that want to provide their services in the country. As of now, the gambling market of the Netherlands is not regulated. However, it doesn’t mean that its residents can’t play casino games online.
As of today, the official gambling market of the Netherlands is represented by fourteen brick-and-mortar casinos. All of them are licensed and belong to one and the same state company – Holland Casino group. Their activities are regulated by the existing Dutch Gambling Act that was put in the force in the mid-1960s. At these casinos, one will find a standard range of games: roulette, baccarat, poker, blackjack, and a variety of slot machines. The entire industry is completely controlled by the state; third-party companies are not let into the market.
Unfortunately, the current legislation doesn’t cover online gambling. Web-based casinos are not legalized in the Netherlands, and there is no authority, issuing licenses for gaming operators in the country. However, at the demand of the EU, the Dutch government had to amend the current legislation. Currently, the amendments are being considered by the lower chamber of the parliament. In particular, it is planned to abolish the state’s monopoly in the offline gaming market, to legalize online gambling, and to develop a mechanism of issuing licenses to foreign gambling operators. We hope, this project will be brought into life in the nearest future.
Although there are no licensed Dutch online casinos, the residents of the Netherlands still can find a way to play online. The fact is that gaming at foreign casinos is not forbidden, and the activities of these casinos are not regulated in any way by the Dutch government. It is worth mentioning, however, that the state is this case doesn’t protect players’ rights. That is why one should carefully choose an online casino in order not to come across scammers.
First and foremost, it is necessary to check whether the casino accepts players from the Netherlands, what languages and currencies it supports. Usually, it becomes clear as soon as you visit the site. For details, you can contact the support service. The next step is to check the license. It must be valid and issued by a reputable, trustworthy authority. Information about licenses and certificates is usually available in the website footer. Licensed and certified casinos commonly have special seals on the site pages. As soon as you’ve made sure the casino accepts players from your country, is legal, licensed, and certified, check some other important parameters.
The list of requirements seems to be impressive, but don’t be desperate, as we’ve done the work for you. On this page, you’ll find the list of reliable web-casinos for the Dutch players. We precisely check all the parameters of every casino before adding (or not adding) it in our list of recommended venues. All you need to do is just choose the site you like, sign up, make a deposit and start your marvelous adventure in the world of online gambling.
The legislative system of the Netherlands can be not accomplished, but it is far less strict than the legislative systems of some other (especially Islamic) states. Gamblers can feel relaxed here, as they won’t be punished or fined for the fact of playing at online casinos. Though online gambling is not regulated by the state yet, it is not totally forbidden. So you may access hundreds of top-notch casinos from the best providers right now.
Netherlands Reviews by Players