An important announcement about advertising as a Dutch online gambling operator

To protect people under the age of 24 and other vulnerable groups, the Dutch minister for Legal Protection, Franc Weerwind, has announced the long-expected ban on untargeted advertising for online games of chance as per July 1, 2023.

The ban has been implemented swiftly after signals that untargeted advertisement has affected youths and other vulnerable groups since the start of licensed online gambling in the Netherlands in October 2021. The Dutch Remote Gambling Law (Wet kansspelen op afstand) will be fully evaluated in 2024.

This means that as per July 1, it is illegal for online gambling companies to implement untargeted advertisements on radio, television and billboards in the public domain.

The ban also includes sponsoring of television shows or sports clubs. However, there will be a transition period for existing contracts. The transition period for television shows will expire on July 1, 2024, while the transition period for sports clubs will expire on July 1, 2025.