The Dutch House of Representatives has voted against a blanket ban on gambling advertising.
The motion from Reformed Political Party (SGP) MP Diederik van Dijk, which would have banned advertising for both online and land-based gambling, won the support of 64 MPs in Tuesday 29 September’s vote, 12 short of the 76 needed for a majority.
The motion, which was submitted on 23 September, also called for tougher enforcement against advertising by illegal gambling operators.
The vote does not affect the government’s plans for a full ban on online gambling advertising, which state secretary Claudia van Bruggen announced in June.
Speaking to EGR following the vote, Dutch gambling trade body VNLOK chair Björn Fuchs said it was “good” that parliament felt a total ban was not viable but warned overregulation of online advertising would “cripple” the market.
“We urge parliament, the ministry [of Justice and Security] and the state secretary to also take into account all facts and insights regarding an advertising ban on online gambling,” he said.
“The facts and figures from the Gambling Authority show the volume of advertising by licensed operators has already decreased significantly. At the same time, unlicensed operators have huge amounts of exposure on digital platforms.
“While all this is happening, the number of people who claim they only play on unlicensed gambling websites is increasing. Thus, consumer protection is decreasing.
“Therefore, VNLOK urges policymakers to first conduct proper research and determine the net consequences of an advertising ban on online gambling. Overregulation will cripple the licensed market and undermine its safeguards.”
While the blanket ad ban failed to pass, a motion to raise the minimum age to 21 for “the riskiest games of choice” was passed, but only once the black market has been tackled more effectively.
A motion to commission research into the possibility of regulating prediction markets as a subcategory within the Gambling Act was rejected.
Dutch regulator, the KSA, issued a cease-and-desist letter to Polymarket after it was found to be offering “illegal” gambling in the market.
Political discussions over a proposed blanket ad ban date back to April 2024 when parliament voted for the measure.
In November that year, Christian Union MP Mirjam Bikker and the Socialist Party’s Michiel van Nispen submitted a bill to speed up the gambling ad ban.
The month prior, Dutch minister for responsible gambling, Teun Struycken, said he was considering the proposal.
In June 2025, KSA regulatory department head, Renske Fikkers, said the ban was becoming an “increasingly realistic option”.
In June this year, Blenheim attorney Guusje Pannekoek explained to EGR that enforcing a total ban on gambling advertising would expose players to the black market.
The vote against the total ad ban in the Netherlands could be seen as a blow to those in the UK market who are campaigning for a similar measure to be introduced here.
In September, the House of Lords Liaison Committee published a report recommending a ban on all gambling advertising, with the Netherlands cited as a country exploring such restrictions.
The post Dutch parliament rejects blanket gambling ad ban first appeared on EGR Intel.
Dutch House of Representatives votes against motion to restrict advertising across online and land-based gambling, as VNLOK chair Björn Fuchs tells EGR “overregulation will cripple” the online market
The post Dutch parliament rejects blanket gambling ad ban first appeared on EGR Intel.