Dutch government wants to restrict high-risk gaming to those aged 21 and up.
Teun Struycken, the State Secretary for Legal Protection, has said that the Netherlands would impose a 21-year-old minimum age requirement for the riskiest types of gaming. The plan, which was presented in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, is a component of a larger initiative to strengthen gaming rules in response to worries about addiction and the efficacy of current legislation.
Struycken anticipates submitting a formal legislative proposal by the beginning of next year after considering the possible ramifications of the policy change.The Dutch government plans to impose mandatory overall gambling limits in addition to the suggested age restriction. The goal of this approach is to stop players from using one gambling site to hit their limit and then using another to continue playing. Only if players can show that going beyond these limits won't have a detrimental effect on their financial status will they be permitted to do so.
In order to combat unlawful gambling, the Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) will also be given more authority. According to the new plans, the regulator will have the authority to block websites, collaborate with banks and internet service providers to limit access to unlicensed operators, and, if need, suspend the licenses of legitimate gambling companies.
"Far too many groups are playing far too risky games, and far too many have already ended up in addiction care," Struycken said, acknowledging that the original regulatory structure had not been successful as planned.
Representatives of the industry, such as the Dutch Online Gambling Association (NOGA), have cautioned that increasing the age restriction would encourage younger players to use illicit gambling websites.
Since the Gambling Authority estimates that half of gambling activity in the Netherlands already occurs illegally, NOGA Director Eric Konings emphasized the significance of giving enforcement against unlicensed operators first priority.
The government has also received advice on general gambling limits from the Scientific Research and Data Centre (WODC).
According to their research, overall gambling behavior does not change even while customized gaming limits promote reduced spending.
