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The Dutch government may add tighter gambling advertising restrictions, including a full ban, after officials said current safeguards still leave vulnerable players exposed.
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The Netherlands already has some of the toughest gambling advertising rules in Europe, but policymakers are not finished reviewing the market.
State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen told parliament that Cruks, the Dutch self-exclusion system, has clear limits. Licensed operators cannot use Cruks to check every person before sending advertising materials, she said. Cruks also covers only the regulated gambling market, which means excluded players can still see offshore gambling ads or use illegal gambling sites. Van Bruggen said:
“The government is working in line with the coalition agreement to further tighten gambling advertising rules, particularly to protect vulnerable groups. At the same time, instruments such as Cruks remain limited to the regulated market. They cannot prevent access to illegal providers or fully eliminate exposure to advertising.”
Dutch gambling advertising rules have tightened step by step since the regulated online gambling market opened in 2021.
In July 2023, the government banned untargeted gambling ads on television, radio, newspapers, billboards, and in public spaces. In July 2024, gambling companies also lost event and programme sponsorship rights. One year later, further rules blocked gambling sponsorships tied to sports teams, jerseys, competitions, and venues.
Targeted advertising still remains legal, but operators must follow strict audience profiling and exposure rules. Now, the government is reviewing whether those controls go far enough.
Illegal gambling adds another problem. Dutch officials said enforcement against unlicensed operators remains a priority, but they also accepted that offshore access remains hard to stop. That creates a hard balance: reduce gambling promotion at home while keeping licensed operators visible enough to pull players away from illegal sites.
Licensed operators have pushed back against a full advertising ban. VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs said in February that Dutch gambling policy depends on consumers being able to find legal options. He said:
“The Dutch gambling policy is deliberately designed around an open, regulated market with strict requirements for duty of care, advertising and supervision. That system only works if the legal, safe offer also remains visible to the player. A total ban on advertising undermines exactly that starting point.”