Citizens from both the Netherlands and Belgium love to gamble, know about the gambling laws in both these countries
They all love sports and betting on sports by extension. Moreover, casino games have a big fan base in both Belgium and Holland. These two countries have different online betting laws, and they did not make this activity legal at the same time.
In other words, the Netherlands online casino industry is different from the one in Belgium. Here we will compare the gambling markets of these two countries and see if there are any similarities in how they are regulated.
Comparing Gambling In Netherlands And Belgium, Ultimate Guide To Laws And Regulation
Casinos in the Netherlands
Holland is a place that is teeming with tourists, and a lot of its economy depends on tourism. Land-based casinos are a big attraction among visitors, so these establishments tend to have a constant influx of players.
When it comes to online casinos Nederland, the market opened up fairly recently. Nevertheless, you can see a lot of operators that rank as the beste online casino in Nederland, or top gambling sites. Their remote gambling act was supposed to be passed in July 2020, and that would allow the market to open up by 2021. Unfortunately, that was postponed for additional 6 months, so the best Dutch online casinos became available in the summer of 2021.
However, this doesn’t mean that the dutch couldn’t gamble online before. In fact, the state has a sort of monopoly when it comes to gambling. There are operators that are owned by the government, and all of their revenue goes directly into the state treasury. The act only allowed for more options for the players, and access to more welcome bonuses that are an iconic feature of every gambling website.
Casinos in Belgium
Casinos are also important for the state economy in Belgium. The most important casino in Belgium is definitely the Casino of Spa which is a structure that has been around since the 18th century. Online gambling was made legal back in 2011, but all operators are required to have a physical presence in Belgium. There are several different licenses an establishment must acquire, in order to offer gambling content.
- License A – This is a type of license required for a casino gaming establishment.
- License B – If someone wishes to host gaming arcades then they need license B.
- License C – Bars that host casino games need license C.
There are several additional licenses but these 3 are the most important, and they indicate that the institution is regulated by Belgium Gaming Authority. Those who offer sports betting content need License F1. Alternatively, if they are organizing sports betting on behalf of another operator they need to License F2. However, there is a limit to how many licenses can be issued for each category. This makes it more difficult for other companies to penetrate the market.
Differences
Belgium opened up its market a whole decade before Holland. Their strategy is to ensure stability and regulation by having operators physically present in their country. In return they kind of guarantee to manage the competition, by limiting the number of licenses that can be issued.
In the Netherlands, the situation is different. So far the state had the monopoly over this form of entertainment. They have opened up their market, but even this approach is still to their advantage. The licensing costs and all other annual audits are really expensive here. Moreover, operators need to donate 200,000 euros to gambling addiction prevention. Those who do not comply will suffer disciplinary action, which can cost them even more. Finally, people are simply more likely to support the local economy when they gamble. so chances are there is a big chunk of the player base that doesn’t mind the state having a monopoly.
Conclusion
The one thing Belgium and Holland have in common is gambling enthusiasts. These are both states that are stable, and their citizens have lots of disposable income. Therefore, they are in danger of suffering from gambling problems, like other players in less developed countries.
Moreover, they have a strong self-exclusion program and strongly support causes that combat gambling addiction. They do regulate these things a bit differently, and given how online casinos have recently started to operate in the Netherlands, it’s still early to compare them to those in Belgium. But, a lot of the same foreign operators have presence in both states.
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