The iGaming industry, which encompasses any form of gambling online, has had quite an extensive decade.
In 2019, online casinos began growing in popularity, eventually hitting their peak in 2020. Since then, the industry has gone nowhere but up.
A ton of new players are signing up for online casinos worldwide. The Netherlands is no exception.
The Dutch gambling industry is one of the most vibrant and developed in Europe. However, many may wonder about online casinos in the Netherlands.
Gambling in the Netherlands
Gambling in the Netherlands is largely state-owned. Casino Holland operates as a monopoly on land-based gambling in the Netherlands, and there are quite a few casino establishments that carry its banner.
Due to the statist nature of Dutch casinos, all of the legal and legitimate establishments are safe, secure and licensed by the DGA (Dutch Gaming Association).
Amsterdam is especially well-known for having a vibrant gambling industry. Indeed, many tourists visit Amsterdam in order to experience the scenic routes, gorgeous architecture, iconic coffee shops, and of course, the various casinos peppered throughout the city.
On the other hand, the Dutch have also grown very fond of gambling online. This begs the question; are there legal online casino websites in the country? What is the Dutch policy regarding iGaming? Let’s find out.
iGaming in the Netherlands: Legality
The first thing to discuss is the legality of online gambling in the Netherlands. There has been a lot of confusion regarding the issue, so let’s set the record straight.
Up until very recently, online casinos were, in fact, illegal in Holland. However, that situation has changed.
In April 2021, the Dutch senate passed a law allowing Dutch players to play at offshore casinos. The so-called Remote Gambling Act gave permission to players in the Netherlands to access gambling websites situated outside the Netherlands.
It didn’t end there, as just a few months later, the Senate once again passed an important bill in regard to iGaming.
On October 1, 2021, the Dutch senate passed a law legalizing any and all games of chance online in the Netherlands.
Very soon after, Dutch-based online gambling websites began opening their proverbial doors.
As it now stands, online gambling in the Netherlands is legal and heavily regulated.
iGaming in the Netherlands: Payment methods
Now that we know online casinos are legal in the Netherlands, the next thing we need to cover is deposits and withdrawals. When creating an account at an online casino, the first thing you will need to do once is done is to fund it. That is what we would call a deposit.
Online gambling websites have a distinct advantage over land-based casinos, as they accept a wider variety of payment methods.
For example, though the Dutch have showed a positive attitude towards crypto, you will still have a hard time gambling using cryptocurrency at land-based casinos.
However, plenty of online casinos have fully embraced cryptocurrency as a viable payment method. It isn’t the only one too, as online casinos accept VISA, MasterCard, direct wire transfers, and digital wallets.
It is only fair to discuss the disadvantage that online casinos have. Making a payment at land-based casinos is simple. You hand the cash or credit, and you are done.
However, with online transactions, the money needs to go through several middlemen. Therefore, payouts could take longer than you’d expect.
Often, transactions at online casinos take anywhere between several hours and a couple of business days.
iGaming in the Netherlands: Popular games
The primary reason we visit the casino is to play games. In this section, we will look at the most popular games at online casinos.
You will notice that many of them are the same games that are popular at land-based casinos. The reason is that most people are used to these games and come into the industry with at least a bit of knowledge about them.
Slots
Slot games have a rich and storied history, traced to the end of the 19th century in the United States. During the 1900s, fruit machines became a staple of gambling establishments.
They are easy, fun, engaging, and, thanks to the latest developments in digital technology, a lot more visually complex. No wonder they are the most popular game on these websites.
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games worldwide. The Dutch are not exempt to becoming enthralled by the card game.
But why is blackjack so popular? One of the primary reasons is the excellent player odds in blackjack, which are higher than most other casino games.
With the introduction of livestreaming, live casinos have further elevated blackjack to a level that is unmatched.
If you are looking for something more complex than slots, that requires quite a bit of strategy, blackjack is the game for you.
Poker
Online poker rooms are just as popular as online casinos worldwide. Poker itself is one of the most popular games in the world.
Though often correlated with gambling, many have argued that poker is much closer to chess, as it requires reading your opponents’ next move, strategy, quick-thinking, all attributes that most great chess players have.
Benefits of Legal iGaming
The Netherlands have already felt the benefits of legal iGaming. One of them is the increase in gross gaming revenue, which naturally boosts the economy, both locally and nationally.
Online casinos also create a demand for jobs, as they have to have offices that need to be maintained.
A lot of opponents have made the argument that iGaming can lead to an increase in gambling addiction.
However, the evidence for this seems to be lacking. In fact, experts have shown that online casinos might be safer in terms of problem gambling, as operators monitor their players’ behaviour, and can put a stop to overspending.
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