Dutch lawmakers push for faster blocking of illegal gambling sites as channelisation falls below 50 per cent

The Dutch House of Representatives’ Gambling Committee wants the government to move faster against illegal gambling websites, including DNS blocking (Domain Name System blocking) and tougher action on advertising. For licensed operators and PSPs, the signal is simple: the Netherlands is moving further toward tighter enforcement around the black market, not looser toleration of it.

1. In its latest meeting, the committee took a broadly united position on strengthening measures against illegal gambling operators. Legislators from ChristenUnie, PRO and SGP called for mechanisms that would let authorities block illegal gambling websites more rapidly, borrowing the logic used for terrorist and child abuse content online.
2. The discussion covered illegal gambling, advertising practices and whether the legal gambling age should stay at 18. The committee drew on research reports, industry activity updates and an April 2026 letter from Justice State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen, who said the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) estimates that channelisation has fallen below 50 per cent.
3. Van Bruggen told lawmakers that the cabinet is preparing legislation to introduce DNS blocking for illegal gambling websites, with a public consultation expected in early 2027. She also said work is underway to tackle illegal gambling advertising on social media platforms, after a complaint to the European Commission against Meta.
4. According to Van Bruggen, the government will receive reports every six months on illegal gambling advertising appearing on platforms such as Facebook and Google. She said the issue should also be addressed at European level through the Digital Services Act, while VVD representatives urged ministers to take a “harder stance” toward major technology companies.
5. The age debate was also reopened, with SGP MP Diederik van Dijk and CDA representative Tijs van den Brink backing a move from 18 to 21, as in neighbouring Belgium. Van Bruggen said more evidence is needed before changing the threshold, warning that a higher age limit could push younger adults toward unlicensed websites; the issue will be revisited in future progress reports.

For high-risk PSPs, the operational takeaway is not subtle: Dutch policy is increasingly focused on shrinking access to unlicensed supply, cleaning up ad channels, and giving regulators more tools to interrupt traffic. When channelisation is already below 50 per cent, every payment or acquisition decision tied to the market gets a little more sensitive.