Composed of 12 different provinces, Netherlands, previously known as Holland, is nestled in Western Europe, sharing some of its parts with the Caribbean. The country is located east of the North Sea, while Germany is keeping it in the west.
Monopoly
The Netherlands, as a nation, is known for its liberal approach to law and regulations. Gambling-related activities are no exception to that. Gambling is legal in the Netherlands. However, foreign online entities don’t have any legitimate ground to accept players from the Dutch land.
This has led the Netherlands gambling scene into a monopoly. Currently, the entire casino gambling market of the Netherlands is getting controlled by a single entity - Holland Casino. There are 14 different casinos all over the country – all are owned by Holland Casino.
The Dutch gambling act
The law that has made this scenario possible is the Dutch Gambling Act of 1964. It forced countrywide gambling to become subject to only one brick and mortar license. Thus, Holland Casino gained that exclusive license from the authority, which accepted the government-controlled monopoly.
Dutch players can also wager through online casinos lawfully, but those casinos should be hosted within the country boundaries. Apart from that, all other online gambling services would be held illegal by the Dutch government. Despite the fact, as the government is somewhat reluctant to take measures against the foreign casinos accepting players from Dutch lands, many have started offering services for Dutch players.
Kansspelautoriteit
The independent gambling regulatory body responsible for maintaining all game of chance activities in the European portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is Kansspelautoriteit. It was established on April 1, 2012. The regulatory authority is designated with three different tasks to perform. It protects and notifies gamblers in need. The responsibility of preventing illegal practices is also on it and keeping players away from the gambling addiction.
The Dutch Caribbean
In October 2010, the Netherlands' region within the Caribbean territory was adjoined with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Known as the Dutch Caribbean, the region contains six island territories. Despite their presence in Caribbean land, populations from that part are governed by Dutch law. The world-famous and current gambling regulating authority Gaming Control Board of Curaçao is located on one island. It is also responsible for regulating the gambling-related activities of that region.
For starting gambling-centric businesses in the territory of the Dutch Caribbean, a license from Curaçao is required. Even before applying for a permit, the applicant company should be registered as a legitimate entity under the Netherlands Antilles Chambers.
Regardless of those restrictions, plenty of renowned online casino platforms with foreign licenses serve Dutch gambling lovers' casino gambling services. Players interested in wagering in real-money should be 18 years old or over for doing it legitimately.
Foreign Casinos
Foreign online casinos bestow Dutch players with a plethora of online gambling variants. Slot machines are top-rated among Dutch gamblers. Keeping them in mind, those foreign gambling platforms offer different video slots, along with progressive reels. Besides, players also play blackjack, roulette, video poker, baccarat and many more.
The following sections of this article would be to enlighten all significant aspects currently navigating the gambling scene of the Netherlands.