How attitudes around gambling in the Netherlands differs from the rest of Europe

As online gambling officially becomes legal in the Netherlands, YouGov data shows attitudes in the country around gambling are largely in line with those across the rest of Europe – but that there are some notable exceptions.

While one in five Dutch adults say they really enjoy betting (20%), that number is notably lower than across Europe in general (31%). This gulf may simply be a result of a lack of legally available avenues to bet online up until now. But this autumn, the Dutch Gambling Authority issued ten licences, including to Bet365, Holland Casino and the Dutch Lottery, which opened up online gambling to the Dutch public for the first time, from the start of this month.

As some jurisdictions debate a ban on gambling sponsorships in sport, Dutch adults are more likely than other Europeans to say such deals are appropriate (24% vs. 18%).

Adults in the Netherlands are also more likely to feel the government should do more to protect gamblers (54% of Dutch adults vs. 49% of Europeans). Strict rules to prevent gambling addiction have been incorporated into the law change - including a country-wide self-exclusion scheme which comes as a condition of the new licenses.

With regard to problem gambling, Dutch adults and European adults see eye to eye – 62% of adults in the Netherlands, and 61% of Europeans, say gambling firms don’t take the issue of problem gambling seriously. Policy-makers will hope that creating a new, legalised version of the betting market will better protect consumers than a ban that pushed some Dutch gamblers into the grey market.

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Methodology: The data is based on a nationally representative sample size of 1,885 Dutch adults and 25,314 European adults. All interviews were conducted online in April 2021. European results are an average of results from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.