Dutch gambling advertising skyrockets following legalisation of online wagering
MPs show concern over rise and seek to implement stringent online regulation to match TV ad limits
Nielsen data has shown that TOTO and Holland Casino have been the most advertised brands in the Netherlands as the Volkskrant reported that gambling advertising has more than doubled year-on-year (YoY). The number of ads in the Netherlands has increased from 170,066 in October and November 2020 to 366,631 in the same time period this year. Online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in October of this year as 10 operators were awarded licences on the first of that month. Holland Casino reportedly spent €6.4m (£5.5m) on advertising during October and November with TOTO dropping €4.6m. Of the 366,631 adverts, roughly 270,000 were for the newly regulated online gambling market. The Netherlands House of Representatives wishes to limit gambling advertising to post-watershed online, as has been implemented for advertising on television. The announcement comes after the trade association VNLOK unveiled its first advertising code of conduct on 16 December. This included a limit of three broadcasted gambling advertisements per commercial break as well as a 30-second limit on all commercials.