Netherlands Becomes Europe’s Next Big Breakaway Market
Industry researchers concluded that the Netherlands is set to become Europe’s new sports betting hotspot after changes in legislation. The firm responsible for this insight is EveryMatrix, a Maltese company specializing in data provision for the casino and betting sectors across Europe. Their latest report was full of bold predictions based on current market trends and consumer habits.
The Dutch online betting market is set to significantly increase due to increased customer awareness as well as important legislative changes making it more accessible. ©AidenHowe/Pixabay
The Netherlands has one of the strongest market foundations in all of Europe. 95% of the 17million population are active internet users, with a large portion over the age of 18, it makes Holland an attractive opportunity for iGaming firms. The country has begun to accept the modernization of gambling and the use of technology associated with it.
In late 2020, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) pledged to promote responsible gambling and alter predatory advertising that had become commonplace. Government intervention had negatively affected the growth of the casino industry after they banned the use of online betting sites. However, recent legislative changes have reversed the previous decision, and now the market is wide open.
Previous reports from other market analysis firms have confirmed the suspected growth of the Dutch market. In 2019, Kansspelautoriteit predicted that the Netherlands gambling market could reach €1.2billion by 2025. The Netherlands already has many land-based establishments, such as Holland Casino Centrum in the center of Amsterdam.
Some of Europe’s top industry scholars have pointed towards the Netherlands becoming the fastest-growing European market for gambling. Despite the seemingly inevitable opening of the flood gates, the government still maintains a steady stance towards advertising and affiliate marketing. The protection of users remains their top priority, setting a healthy precedent for the rest of Europe to follow.
Pioneer’s of Responsible Gambling
While scandal’s take place all over European sport, the Netherlands have been pushing for ethical advertising related to football sponsorships. The government are set to put plans in place to prevent football teams in the Eredivisie from partnering with foreign betting companies. The governing body will accept sponsorship from Dutch organizations, but Chinese or other European online betting companies are forbidden.
For the upcoming Euros 2021, which the Netherlands have qualified for, broadcasters are being urged to suspend betting advertisement from regular rotation to protect those at risk. The Eredivisie already implements a permanent ban on gambling adverts during any league broadcast. Politicians from the UK, Portugal, Germany, France and Netherlands have written open letters to broadcasters expressing their concern over their ethical advertisement standards.
The Dutch government are taking careful steps to safeguard the potentially growing market. Several rules and sanctions are in place to prevent customer exploitation. For example, licensed operators will be required to give governing bodies full access to customer databases and transparency with their financial dealings. This will make the sites write responsible gambling guides for Dutch players to inform them about it.
Governing bodies are clamping down on illicit operations in an effort to inspire the creation of ethically astute organizations. Mandatory ID checks are to take place in all land-based and online casinos, to prevent the spread of underage gambling. Back in 2016, research revealed that 11% of 16-17-year-olds had engaged in ‘instant reward’ gambling such as scratch cards.
Contradicting Market Predictions
While current market predictions seem to follow a positive consensus, contradicting research has implied the very opposite. Reports suggest that the online gambling market in Holland could decline due to a lack of public knowledge. The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) have been hard at work, analyzing market trends and their recent reports reveal some cataclysmic information for the Dutch betting market.
They conducted several public survey’s, asking questions related to technical requirements and accessibility and functionality. The results revealed that less than half of a thousand responses had heard of online gambling. With the official launch of Holland’s iGaming landscape set to occur in October this year, there is cause for concern as customers are yet to be informed.
The most scathing statistic from the report showed that only 2% of responders expressed an interest in iGaming once it was officially legalized. As well as this, the majority of the public are keen to see a reduction in gambling advertisements, with roughly 70% of the survey believed that online betting ads shouldn’t air before 9 pm local time.
