Dutch regulator to ‘intensify’ crackdown on illegal gambling

Summary

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has published its Supervisory Agenda 2026 and signalled a stepped-up enforcement drive against illegal gambling in the Netherlands. The agenda sets five core priorities and promises closer co‑operation with licensed operators, other regulators and industry stakeholders to increase the regulator’s supervisory reach.

KSA has reorganised into three new directorates: player protection and management advice; permits and supervision; and digitalisation, analysis and operations. The regulator will concentrate on disrupting illegal online operators by targeting internet infrastructure, payment channels, marketing, affiliates and social media to make unauthorised platforms harder to access and less visible.

Key policy aims include a 90% online channelisation target (moving players to licensed operators), stronger protection for minors and young adults through monitoring and awareness campaigns (including a new consumer platform, Open About Gambling), tighter scrutiny of operators’ duty of care (including Cruks self‑exclusion and behavioural tools), tougher enforcement of advertising rules—particularly the use of role models and untargeted ads—and enhanced monitoring of compliance with the Dutch AML/CTF regime (Wwft) and forthcoming AML rules.

Key Points

KSA published its Supervisory Agenda 2026, prioritising an intensified crackdown on illegal gambling.
The regulator has created three new directorates to boost player protection, supervision of permits and digital/analytical operations.
Primary enforcement focus is the online market; KSA aims for a 90% channelisation rate to licensed operators.
Actions target infrastructure, payment services, hosting, affiliates, marketing and social media to disrupt illegal operators.
KSA will tackle illegal slot machines and unlicensed land‑based activity in co‑operation with government agencies.
Protecting minors and young adults is a priority: data monitoring, awareness campaigns and a new consumer platform are planned.
Advertising enforcement will clamp down on role models (celebrities, athletes, influencers) and untargeted ads that reach vulnerable groups.
KSA will increase risk‑based, data‑driven monitoring of AML obligations under the Wwft and the incoming AML rules, expanding its supervisory remit.

Why should I read this?

Short and blunt: if you work in the Dutch market (or send customers there), this matters. KSA is gearing up to make unlicensed sites a lot harder to run and a lot harder for players to find. Expect tougher ad enforcement, closer AML checks and more scrutiny of how operators protect young or vulnerable players. We’ve skimmed the detail so you don’t have to — but if you operate, compliance teams should read the full agenda.