Where can we bet securely and which are the leading bookmakers in the Netherlands?

Check out the table below with top bookmakers for the Netherlands. Choose the one which will meet your expectation. Details for their welcome bonus amount, percentage of sign up offer, minimum deposit and odds.

Introduction

The Netherlands is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and have a long-standing love of gambling. Sports betting is incredibly popular, with casinos gaining traction in recent years.

Although an incredibly liberal society, the government has taken a hard stance on online gambling. The pastime has been illegal up until the start of 2019 when a bill was passed to begin issuing licenses in 2020. This recent shift looks set to create a boom in the Dutch market, as the best companies online attempt to gain licenses for this new demographic. The companies that do get licensed will likely be highly reputable, and great additions to betting in the Netherlands.

Top online betting websites in the Netherlands

Because the legalization of online gambling is still so new in the Netherlands, the current market for betting sites in the Netherlands is relatively small. But due to the fact that it is such a wealthy nation, there is massive potential for growth, especially when the Remote Gambling Act passes in the near future. However, here are some of the best sites that currently offer their services to players in the Netherlands:

Competition between Operators

The Dutch government has done its utmost best to ensure that they have a monopoly on all forms of gambling within the Netherlands. However, they have struggled to maintain this, after claims from the EU that this is unfair to international companies.

Currently, there is a monopoly on all physical casinos in the Netherlands. They are all owned and operated by the state, through a company called Holland Casino. There is also a state monopoly on lotto, in-person sports betting, and slot machines.

When it comes to online sports betting, there is a significant oligopoly, with the majority of the market shared between two companies: De Lotto and Scientific Games Racing B.V. However, only time will tell if the Netherlands government choose only to issue licenses to a few companies, or whether they will open their doors a little wider to create competition.

It should also be noted that because online gambling was illegal for so long, the illegal market has long been established, with a number of key companies holding large portions of the target audience, regardless of the legal competition.

Available Payment Methods

As with most online bookmakers, there are many different options to deposit and withdraw money from popular Dutch betting sites. These include Visa and Mastercard (sometimes American Express). Most websites will also accept all major e-wallets such as PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. These options are all relatively fast and do not require a bank fee. Some sites will allow users to deposit money via a bank transfer. However, this method can often take a few days. Most, but not all options are generally free to use and are instantaneous, but there are some exceptions to this, such as bank transfers. Punters should ensure that they make a note of their specific companies’ policies regarding this before they are forced to pay unwanted fees.

All sites have minimum requirements when it comes to depositing and withdrawing money, usually €1 or €10. In order to qualify for welcome promotions, users must generally make deposits of €10 or more.

The Netherlands use the euro (EUR) as their form of currency. Due to the number of other countries on the continent that use the same currency, most online bookmakers will allow punters to place bets using EUR. This is convenient for Dutch players and means that they do not have to convert their deposits before they can place bets.

Mobile Betting in Netherlands

The majority of all leading betting sites offer free apps to download on both Apple and Android so that their content can be enjoyed on the go, any time. However, it is technically currently illegal for these companies to offer their services to Dutch consumers specifically, hence why there are no apps in Dutch. Failure for the companies to comply with Dutch law has seen these apps being removed from customers’ phones in the past. Although with the recent relaxation in laws surrounding online betting, this may change.

For players who cannot access the apps, most sites will also offer a mobile version of their website, which can be accessed through the device’s browser. These have been specifically designed to alter the desktop site to be more manageable on phones and tablets. Although often not available in the Dutch language, the government is unable to stop patrons from accessing these.

Leading sports for betting in Holland

Sports betting has always been popular in the Netherlands, and with increasing interest in online betting, it remains much more popular than online casinos. Here are some of the most popular sports to bet on:

• Football
  Much like the rest of Europe, the Netherlands is not immune to the excitement and pull of football. Many sites offer betting on large local leagues, as well as overseas championships. The popularity of football overseas means that Dutch customers also get to experience the full range of betting on this sport.
• Volleyball
  A sport that the Netherlands performs well in, it is no surprise that it is a favourite for betting. As the third most popular sport in the country, it rakes in significant revenue for bookies, both local and international games.
• Field Hockey
  The Netherlands also quietly excels at this sport, with the national team winning numerous medals in the competition at the Olympics. Although it may not be as popular overseas, Dutch consumers love to bet on this sport, in favour of their winning home team.
• Tennis
  Almost all sites allow Dutch players to bet on the more significant tennis competitions such as the French Open and Wimbledon, often with live options too. Quite a few websites also provide betting options for some of the smaller tournaments as well, so that there is a wide variety of choice for fans.

The Profile of a Dutch Bettor

Even though online gaming is currently considered illegal, the Netherlands is home to the 17th largest iGaming population in the EU. The revenue from these illegal bets is alleged to be approximately €250 million annually.

Despite the illegal nature of the gaming, this high exchange of money comes as no surprise, because the Netherlands is one of the most affluent countries in the world – these players can afford this type of hobby. In 2011, it was estimated that there were approximately 8 million casual gamblers in the Netherlands, a figure that only takes into account legal, physical gambling.

FAQs

Our Verdict

Since online gambling is technically illegal in the Netherlands, this does not appear to stop many clients from continuing to play. The majority of all leading international betting sites still accept Dutch players, so that these consumers can play safely. Ultimately the government is the only losing player in this equation, missing out on tax revenue by not issuing licenses.

Although it appears that the government will choose to retain their monopoly over betting online when the law does come into effect, it may be possible for multiple international companies to become licensed as well. When punters from the Netherlands can play with Dutch-licensed companies online, they can rest assured that these companies will be of high quality, following the government focus on the safety of players.

Regardless, in the meantime, Dutch punters will still be able to seek out international sites to continue to play on, if they are unsatisfied with the local online options. There are many different websites that are licensed elsewhere in Europe, allowing consumers to know they are still reliable sites.