Ever since the Dutch Government approved the Remote Gambling Act in February, online casinos have become a hit in the Netherlands, to the point where experts forecast that it will become one of Europe’s strongest in a few years. This might seem surprising, considering that the market is still young, but the Dutch gambling market has a few key features that set it apart.
First of all, the Remote Gambling Act puts user experience and safety at its core, which has created an environment of trust. According to the KSA, the Dutch Gambling Authority, online casinos have to respect a series of regulations in order to maintain their license, such as using only authorized marketing practices and keeping a record of all their players.
Through these regulations, the Dutch government hopes to tackle the problem of gambling and create a safe online space for everyone.
Secondly, the Netherlands has always been a good market for gaming, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that now that the market is open, users are rushing to create accounts on online casinos and play to win. In one single year, the revenue of Dutch online doubled, reaching €127.4 million.
This revenue is split across various sectors, and the good news for players is that they have plenty of variety. Whether you like classic casino games like poker and blackjack, slots, or sports betting, you’ll have options.
1. Classic Gokkasten games
A few years ago, there was a popular casino brand by the name of Simbat Gokkasten. They offer a wide variety of cool games, such as Joker Wild, Club 2000, and Hot Shot. Although users flocked to play their games, for some unknown reason, the company disappeared.
The players remained online for a while, but they eventually disappeared, leaving players without one of their favorite pastimes. Fortunately, another operator listened to their concerns, and now the games are back. People who miss playing classic Gokkasten at Dutch casinos can once again play them, and the best part about them is that they really look like the old slots back in the day.
The popularity of these games might seem surprising, especially for younger players, but if you were one of the people to see a vintage slot machine back in the 90s, the nostalgia would take you way back. Make no mistake, the interface of these games may be vintage, but the slots work just as well as the modern ones, and the technology behind them is robust.
2. Poker
Is it really a surprise that Dutch players love poker? Well, considering that poker is one of the most popular casino games in the world, not really. Whether you play it casually or compete with the top players in the world, every respectable online casino offers poker tables, so you really are spoilt for choice.
One of the things that online casino operators have done to appeal to more players is to introduce live poker tables. This makes online poker closer to the real thing and creates immersive experiences. The initiative is extremely important and makes total sense considering that, in the past year, many traditional players have moved online.
Transitioning from the traditional face-to-face format to online one can feel a bit confusing at first, which is where online poker games with live dealers come in to bridge the gap. One of the biggest misconceptions about online poker, however, is that only tables with live dealers are reliable.
That’s not true. Even if there isn’t a live dealer, you can rest assured that the online casino took measures to avoid cheaters. Plus, online casinos that do not respect KAS regulations and fail to offer players a safe environment are quickly held accountable.
3. Slot games
Slot games are perhaps the most resilient casino game there is, to the point where they’ve almost become synonymous with gambling. Until a few years ago, there wasn’t a lot of diversity in slots games because most games had pretty much the same themes, and they were quite basic in terms of gameplay. They had a single line, simple sound effects, and linear gameplay. Now, they’re more complex than that.
For example, casinos and pop culture have always been tightly connected. The alluring world of casinos has inspired many filmmakers, and you can find dozens of online casino movies to watch about successful players. And who said it couldn’t be the other way around too?
Movies have also inspired casino operators, who have created slots with movie themes. Whether you want to enjoy your favorite movie franchise in every way possible or just switch up the graphics a bit, themed slots are easy to find online. And it’s not just movie themes either. You can play slot games inspired by sports, music, books, and much more.
Apart from the themed slots, Dutch casino players also love progressive slots. Although the gameplay is similar to that of traditional slots, these slots are more exciting and potentially more profitable because the more you deposit, the higher the jackpot gets.
Other slot game categories preferred by Dutch casino players include slots with multiple line action and slots with bonus games. Needless to say, we have to mention free spins, which is by far the top feature players look for when joining an online casino.
Looking at the main Dutch casino trends from 2018 until now, the biggest difference we can see is that the top most popular games have changed a lot. Poker, which then used to be the #1 game, has now been taken over by slot games and classic Gokkasten games.
Nevertheless, the Netherlands gambling market remains an impressive one, with all gaming categories generating over €592 million. That is comparable with Germany and the UK, Europe’s top gambling markets, and, in the following years, experts expect these numbers to grow even more. Thanks to a combination of user-centric legislation and transparency, Dutch gambling is set to reach new heights by 2025.