The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has cleared licensed operators following an investigation into underage access to gambling platforms, concluding that the illegal market — not the licensed sector — is where minors are gaining access to gambling products.
What the Investigation Examined
The KSA launched its probe last year after receiving signals that minors might be gaining access at some licensed providers. The investigation focused specifically on the registration process and the identity and bank account verification steps operators must implement under the Remote Gambling Act.
Publishing its findings this week, the KSA confirmed there are “virtually no serious irregularities” among licensed operators in the Netherlands.
One Technical Gap Identified
In a “very limited number of cases,” the KSA identified a specific vulnerability: players sharing the same initials were able to use another person’s bank account, or to link their own bank account to a different player’s account. When the regulator raised this with licensed operators, they maintained there was no straightforward fix. The KSA has since issued technical guidance to address the issue.
Illegal Market in Focus
KSA chair Michel Groothuizen was direct about where the problem lies.
“Gambling by minors hardly ever occurs among licensed providers, but we do have clear indications that it is happening nonetheless. This is likely on the illegal market. Illegal providers often apply no or low standards for age verification and advertise specifically targeting this young demographic, for example via TikTok. This is extremely harmful, and the KSA is therefore working hard to combat the illegal supply. We are also placing a stronger focus on educating minors to make them aware of the risks of gambling.” — Michel Groothuizen, KSA Chair
The findings align with earlier research from the Dutch affiliate trade group KVA, which found minors could register at unlicensed operators using just an email address or phone number, with deposits accepted from youth bank accounts or anonymously through cryptocurrency. Those are methods strictly prohibited for licensed operators in the Netherlands.
How Illegal Operators Target Minors
The KSA’s findings point to a structural problem beyond age verification failures. Unlicensed operators actively target younger demographics through social media, using channels and content formats that licensed brands are prohibited from using under Dutch advertising rules. The KSA previously identified major flaws in online gambling risk assessment systems, with enforcement increasingly focused on the infrastructure enabling illegal operators — payment providers, hosting companies, and social media platforms.
The regulator’s Supervisory Agenda for 2026 sets a target of keeping at least 90% of Dutch gambling activity with licensed operators. Suppressing illegal supply is the primary mechanism for achieving that.
Channelisation and Tax Context
The probe results arrive at a difficult moment for the Dutch licensed market. The channelisation rate dropped below 50% in the first half of 2025, meaning the majority of gambling activity in the Netherlands was flowing to unlicensed operators. The Dutch gambling tax rate also increased to 37.8% on GGR from January 2026 — a rise industry groups argue makes the licensed market less competitive against illegal alternatives that collect no tax at all.
The channelisation picture matters directly to the underage gambling question. A market where more players sit with illegal operators is also a market where minors face weaker protections, a connection the KSA’s findings make explicit.
Broader Enforcement Picture
The KSA’s pace of enforcement activity across compliance obligations has increased in parallel with the underage gambling investigation. The regulator warned in February that gambling is becoming normalised in Dutch society, with 24% of adults surveyed saying people around them view betting as ordinary behaviour. Licensed operators are under growing pressure to identify risk signals earlier and intervene faster under duty-of-care requirements.
In a separate action published last week, the KSA addressed Unibet over AML shortfalls in the Netherlands. The timing places the underage gambling findings alongside an active enforcement agenda spanning player protection, financial crime, and now age verification — with the technical guidance on bank account verification already in effect for licensed operators.
Source: Kansspelautoriteit
