The Dutch government is introducing much stricter rules on online gambling, including a near-total ban on gambling ads and bonuses. State Secretary for Justice and Security Claudia van Bruggen said the measures are aimed at tackling the sharp rise in gambling addiction, particularly among young people, De Telegraaf reports.
In principle, all advertising for online gambling will be prohibited, with only very limited exceptions. Gambling platforms will also no longer be permitted to offer bonuses, including free bets for new users or loyalty rewards for existing customers.
The government will raise the minimum age for high-risk online gambling from 18 to 21. It will also introduce a central system to monitor betting limits, preventing players from avoiding safeguards by placing large bets across multiple platforms simultaneously.
