Dutch MPs vote for platform fines and a public list of illegal gambling operators
The Dutch House of Representatives adopted several motions on illegal online gambling, including fines for platforms that repeatedly show illegal gambling ads, a central list of illegal operators and a pilot targeting their payment and hosting infrastructure. Motions ask the government to act; they are not yet law.
The Netherlands is a very different market from South Africa, and nothing here changes the rules for South African players. It is still worth noting because South Africa also has no licensed online casino sector, so players here mostly use offshore sites. The Dutch approach of pressuring payment providers, hosts and social platforms rather than only the operators is one South African regulators could study, and a public list of illegal operators is the kind of tool that would help local players check a site.
What the House voted for
According to Public Gaming Research Institute, the Dutch House of Representatives adopted a group of motions this week aimed at illegal online gambling. One asks the government to change the Gambling Act so that an online platform commits an offence if it keeps showing illegal gambling adverts after being asked to remove them. The gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), would then be able to issue administrative fines or orders backed by penalty payments.
The motion says the KSA sends thousands of removal requests to Meta every month without lasting results.
A central list and an infrastructure pilot
MPs also backed a central list of illegal online gambling operators. The idea is to help payment providers, search engines, social media companies and hosting businesses coordinate with enforcers, and to give consumers a way to tell licensed operators from illegal ones.
A further motion asks for a pilot involving the KSA, the Public Prosecution Service and the police that would target the digital infrastructure behind illegal gambling, including payment flows, platforms and hosting providers. Criminal enforcement could follow where offences are found.
Other motions and context
Parliament also adopted a motion saying the minimum age for the riskiest gambling products should rise to 21, but only once set targets for tackling illegal gambling and limiting the shift to unlicensed operators have been met. A motion for a total ban on gambling advertising was rejected on 29 September.
The votes sit alongside broader plans the government announced in June, including an online gambling advertising ban and a bonus prohibition. A motion is a request to the government, so none of these measures is law yet.
What it means for South African players
Players here are not covered by Dutch rules, and licensed Dutch operators are not the sites South Africans use. The relevant point is the direction of travel: regulators abroad are going after the advertising, payment and hosting links that let unlicensed sites reach players. South Africa has not announced anything similar for online casinos. Until it does, check any site yourself, and see our casino reviews for what we have and have not verified.
What to watch next
Watch whether the government accepts the motions, whether a draft amendment to the Gambling Act follows, and how Meta responds. The court case brought by the Dutch industry body against Meta over gambling adverts is also still running.