The Netherlands is a country known for its long history of arts and culture. Dutch art during the 1600s still holds a great place in the history of classical art. However, there is something else that the Netherlands has for centuries but not talked much about, the gambling culture.
The Netherlands have had casinos from the 14the century, and the country has always treated gambling as a decent game. If you look at the gambling history of the Netherlands, you will understand that governments always have a soft corner for gambling.
If you take the list of top 10 online casinos, you will find Netherlands casinos there. To understand the reasons behind that and the future of gambling in the Netherlands, read the following.
History of Gambling in the Netherlands
No gambler will ever be disappointed in the Netherlands as the country has some of the world’s best land and online casinos.
- The government imposed the first regulation and license for gambling in the 14th century for fair gambling practices.
- In 1964, they made the licensing strict with the Betting and Gambling Act and casinos prohibited unlicensed betting.
- Second legislation came into existence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, making the gambling rules more transparent.
- The Dutch Gambling Authority, an autonomous body for regulating and supervising gambling, was founded in 2012. The main aims of the authorities are to protect punters, prevent illegal gambling, and battle gambling addiction. The authority comes under the Ministry of Justice and Security.
- In September 2021, the authority will start licensing online casinos to regulate proper functioning.
The current situation
Gambling is an entirely legal activity in the Netherlands; anyone above 18 years can gamble without restrictions. The main reason behind this liberal treatment is that the government is gaining a good profit from gambling. All the casinos of the Netherlands are under the control of Holland Casinos, which the Dutch Government governs. However, the government is responsible towards the citizens and ensures that no one falls prey to gambling addiction. So the citizens of the Netherlands can gamble without worrying much about security from any of the land casinos.
When it comes to online gambling, the Netherlands still do not have a license to online casinos. Online casinos with a license from the Curacao e-gaming Authority are permitted to function in the country. The works are underway to start the licensing facility and are expected to commence in the coming months. Until then, online casinos with Curacao licenses are an excellent choice for people from the Netherlands.
The wait is almost over.
Taking the current situation into consideration, the Dutch Government has imposed some restrictions regarding certain online games. Participating in online Poker tournaments is also restricted by the government. Yet punters are expecting a change in these rules once the government starts issuing licenses for online casinos. 2021 is going to be a year that brings a lot of changes to the gambling culture of the Netherlands.
So get ready for a new era of gambling Dutch!
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.