A group of Dutch affiliate firms have expressed concerns about the Netherlands’ stricter gambling rules, saying that they have caused more players to go to the dangerous offshore market. According to them, traffic to illegal domains has more than quadrupled since deposit limits were introduced in the country.
Black Market Searches Skyrocketed
According to an analysis by Quality Mark for Responsible Affiliates (Keurmerk Verantwoorde Affiliates/KVA), traffic to black market operators has spiked following the introduction of deposit limits in October, despite the Dutch Gambling Authority’s (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) best efforts to create a safe market.
Contrary to the Netherlands’ expectations when its regulated online casino market launched, weeding out offshore operators has proven to be an arduous task. Some have argued that over-regulation has had unintended adverse effects, channeling players toward the black market. The KVA study shows that this might truly be the case.
According to the KVA, browser searches for “casino without Cruks” (Cruks being the Dutch self-exclusion scheme) or “casino without limits” have skyrocketed since October, reaching unprecedented levels. For context, the association estimated that traffic to illegal domains had stood at approximately 172,576 in October 2024. In November, that figure almost doubled, reaching 295,255.
In February 2025, on the other hand, the KVA recorded 412,997 searches for offshore websites. This figure continued to soar rapidly and, in March, reached a staggering 1,009,589.
To make matters worse, the number of domains customers searched for increased from 19 in October to 72 in March.
Over-Regulation Might Be a Problem
The LVA emphasized that the Netherlands’ over-zealousness in creating a fraud-free regulated market where all gambling is done legally has had certain unintended adverse effects.
For context, the Netherlands has introduced a variety of new restrictions on gambling, including deposit limits, a ban on untargeted ads and an upcoming ban on sports sponsorships.
Lawmakers have also been mulling over a ban on all gambling ads, which the KVA argues would exacerbate the issue.
Further restrictions on legal advertising could have an unintended adverse effect, causing players to switch to illegal platforms even more quickly. The report therefore calls for a well-considered strategy in the fight against illegal online gambling.
KVA statement
KSA Continues to Regulate the Dutch Market
In other news, the KSA just announced that it had carried out six raids on illegal poker tournaments in the fourth quarter of 2024. Many of these operations were hosted by operators posing as regular businesses.
The raids led to the seizing of tens of thousands of euros in cash and further regulatory warnings, action and penalties against the operators.
Earlier this month the KSA reminded operators that the autoplay option is prohibited in the Netherlands. The reminder was prompted by a recent incident involving the autoplay option.