The Growth of Sports Betting in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has been working towards formulating legislation allowing online casinos and bookmakers to set up legal businesses in the country. The Dutch online gambling market has exploded particularly the sports betting sector.
The first online bookmaker in the Netherlands launched in October of 2013. Unibet Nederland is arguably the best-rated sportsbook in Netherlands. The draft of the new Dutch gambling law was approved by Senate in February 2021 and took effect on April 1, 2019. Operators interested in setting up online sportsbooks are free to submit license applications.
The Dutch betting industry has always been subject to stringent regulations. Players’ social security numbers are automatically collected in a central registry (CRUKS) and IDIN-based age verifications are also required by law. Virtual bookies are required to abide by stringent marketing and promotion guidelines. Lotteries in the Netherlands are exempt from the CRUKs. Online gambling operators in Netherlands participate in Controledatabank (CBD), the KSA”s control database.
The Dutch gambling industry contributed 9% of the country's GDP in 2018. Illegal online gambling accounted for 9%. The sports betting market in the Netherlands grew from $26.1 billion in 2019 to $36.4 billion by 2021. The market is expected to grow to a whopping $52 billion by 2026, according to Alternar.
The Netherlands is home to about 17.15 million people with access to mobile phones and 16.47 million with internet access. 95.7% of internet browsers use smartphones, 84.5% laptops/desktops, and 55% tablet devices. The average Dutch internet user spends about five hours and 28 minutes browsing the internet.
The gambling market in the Netherlands is still dominated by the casino sector. Football is the most popular sport in Netherlands and the biggest contributor to sports betting. Tennis is second most common sport among Dutch people. It has generated a more significant GGR per annum than other sports except for football.
The growth of sports betting in the Netherlands is expected to expand. Remote betting service providers are set to improve their platforms to attract new customers. Online casinos and sportsbooks will continue to mark the sports betting experience more appealing and rewarding for Dutch punters.
The Netherlands is a thriving online sports betting market. The market is competitive and offers lucrative offers, bonuses and promos. If you are an investor looking for a ripe market, you should consider setting up sports betting business in the Dutch market as it's a competitive environment.
