Written by :
Published on :
The much-anticipated new gambling regulation in the Netherlands is changing the scene of online gambling and the gambling industry as a whole. The ministry overseeing the new gambling regulations has announced that the new legislation would transform the Dutch gambling industry. After several years of lurking in the shadows, online casino and gambling vendors are now free to roam and legally promote games to Dutch players. So yeah, online casinos have now been made legal in the Netherlands, but with a lot of rules and guidelines, enough to stifle the joy of the news.
Both vendors and players have welcomed this news with open hands, with high hopes and lofty expectations of winnings to come. However, the Dutch government has set out a list of rules and regulations to guide the online gambling operation and those looking to seize the moment. The regulation was brought into effect after members of the Dutch Parliament have had ample time to review and comment on the legislation set to guide operators wishing to offer online gambling products to players in the Netherlands.
According to the new laws, online gambling operators can now apply for a license, which would legalize their practice within the Dutch soil. The license would be issued by the gambling regulator in the Netherlands, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), and would last for 5 years, after which it would be due for a renewal. The agency would consider each submission meticulously and decide within six months the fate of their entries.
The operator’s license coverage will be for those who offer face-to-face casino games where players would either bet in opposition to the house or other players, sports betting and horse race betting. However, it doesn’t cover online lotteries or any game outside the scope of the aforementioned.
The license doesn’t favor youth competitions or sporting events considered to be easily malleable. However, it’s a new dawn in the Dutch gambling industry, and hopes are high for more changes and authorization of more games categories in coming years.
The new legislation allows any joint stock or limited liability company registered in the EU to submit a license application for consideration. The KSA has however emphasized that every candidate must put practical steps in place to ensure that every single game is carried out via a fail-safe and reliable system, in compliance to the new law.
Dutch customers have had a hard time searching for an online gaming operator. The previous laws crippled the number of actions of EU licensed game providers willingly to operate within the Dutch market. This has made it quite hard to find a proper online casino operator whose services are customized to the Dutch audience. Most operators lack the key features of engagement for the Dutch players, such as the omission of the Dutch language in their option selection. Fortunately, according to the website idealecasinos.nl, the new law will not only legalize the act of online gambling, but also ensure that operators are allowed to modify their products and services to suit the needs of the local Dutch customers.
More is still unfolding on the impact of the new law on the online gambling industry. But for now, players and operators alike can find solace in knowing that they can enjoy remote gaming without fear of sanction.
