The Dutch gambling industry organizations VNLOK, together with VAN, the Dutch Lottery, and the Dutch Casino, have sent a joint letter to the government, warning that gambling tax revenue in 2025 has decreased by 43.5 million euros compared to the previous year. The letter points out that recent tax increases have led to casino closures and have driven gamblers towards illegal gambling sites. Simply put, the tax rate increased, but the tax collection decreased, and the money flowed into the black market.
Tax Revenue Data: Increased taxes lead to decreased income, black market GGR surpasses licensed market
The Dutch gambling tax was first raised to 34.2% of GGR in January 2025, and was increased again to 37.8% in January this year, making it one of the highest tax rates in Europe. VNLOK's data shows that the overall GGR in the first half of 2025 decreased by 25% compared to last year. The joint letter warns that this measure has adversely affected player protection, illegal supply, and funding for sports and charities. Data from the Dutch Gambling Authority KSA also confirms that the GGR of black market sites exceeded that of licensed sites in the first half of 2025.
Industry Appeal: Decision-making should consider the balance between tax burden and player protection
The joint letter calls on the government to submit a review report on the current tax system to the parliament before Q2, emphasizing that future tax rate decisions should clearly consider the relationship between "tax burden, illegal supply, player protection, and industry contribution". The Dutch government, formed by the centrist D66 party, the conservative Christian Democratic Party, and the right-wing VVD party at the beginning of this year, has taken a tough stance on gambling in their coalition agreement, seeking to completely ban gambling advertisements and explore restrictions on the number of licenses for online gambling sites.
Policy Background: The industry's dilemma under a tough stance
In February, the new government stated that it would strengthen the duty of care towards online gambling providers, crack down on illegal gambling sites, and introduce a comprehensive ban on online gambling advertisements. With the dual pressures of tax increases and regulatory tightening, the Dutch legal gambling industry is facing severe challenges. Interested in the latest developments in European gambling tax policies? PASA's official website continues to track.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders", a gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel: https://t.me/gamblingdeep
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PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
