Dutch gambling industry on the rise

Garance Limouzy October 12, 2024

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Dutch gambling industry on the rise

The Dutch legal gambling sector showed solid growth in 2023, bringing it close to its pre-pandemic performance. According to the annual Market Scan from the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA), the gambling sector as a whole showed signs of recovery, with impressive growth in both land-based and online gambling.

Land-based sector nearing pre-COVID levels

For the first time since 2019, the land-based gambling sector operated without any COVID-19 restrictions for a full year. The gross gaming result (GGR) reached €4 billion in 2023, a 21.2 percent increase compared to 2022. Land-based casino games, including slot machines and table games, were the driving force behind this growth, despite their GGR still falling short of 2019 figures.

Online gambling continues to grow

The online gambling market recorded impressive growth, aligning with previous predictions. In the first half of 2024, the GGR for the online sector grew by 8 percent, increasing from €696 million in the latter half of 2023 to €752 million. The growth was in part due to a boost in sports betting, encouraged by key events.

Casino games against the house, such as table games and slot machines, remained the most dominant segment of the online market, contributing 72 percent of the total GGR in early 2024.

Lottery and casino dominance

Lotteries and casino games continued to dominate the legal gambling market. The GGR for lotteries in 2023 accounted for 30 percent of the total market, with the National Postcode Lottery, Staatsloterij, and VriendenLoterij being the largest operators. Meanwhile, casino games—both land-based and online—generated €2.4 billion in GGR, making up 61 percent of the market. Of that, 45 percent came from online casino games.

Sports betting shows modest growth

Sports betting, while still the smallest segment of the market, saw a modest increase in 2023. The GGR rose by 9.7 percent, from €318 million in 2022 to €349 million in 2023. Online betting, legalised in October 2021, now accounts for 83 percent of the sports betting market.

Increase in player participation

The number of active online gambling accounts also saw an increase. By the end of 2023, there were approximately 1.07 million online gambling accounts per month, up from 1 million in the previous year. However, since players often hold multiple accounts, the actual number of individual players stood at around 455,000 per month, showing only a slight increase from the 452,000 recorded in late 2023. By early 2024, an estimated 5.4 percent of the Dutch adult population had engaged in online gambling, with the vast majority—95 percent—opting for licensed platforms.

Dutch gamblers spend less than European counterparts

Despite the market’s overall growth, Dutch players continue to spend less on gambling than the European average. In 2023, the average adult in the Netherlands spent €272 on legal gambling, up from €258 in 2022. This figure remains below the European Union average of €339 per person.

On average, Dutch online gamblers spent €158 per month over the first six months of 2024, for a total of €946 over the half-year period. Younger players, aged 18-23, were particularly active, accounting for 10.8 percent of the total GGR, up from 9.6 percent in the latter half of 2023. However, they spent less per month compared to older gamblers, averaging €55 in monthly losses.