We all know how liberal the Netherland is. Prostitution, Marijuana and all the rest are pillars of the Dutch copious repute. Every August the country hosts a Marijuana Cup Contest, that is how liberal the country is, and many teenagers flock and congregate to the country to smoke profusely and dream of the day they move to Amsterdam. Having said that, a thing that is less than liberal in Netherlands is the gambling community. As we write and bring this article to you, funnily enough Dutch betting sites are still illegal.
Let’s talk current legislation standings ….
If you ask the average Dutch person if they have gambled in recent years, they would definitely say that they have. Some of the biggest bets have derived from Dutch football teams that have made it to top leagues. PSV and Ajax fans have made a solid number of Dutch bets in the hopes of supporting their teams in Champions League and other matches. In total, it is estimated that 500,000 bets a year are placed online by Dutch citizens, yet Dutch betting sites are still illegal and cannot be included in a Dutch casino or a sports site legally.
2020 has been on the radar for quite some time, and a solid number of casinos has expressed the wish to start operating Dutch betting sites in a legal fashion. Question is: Will the new law be conceded this year for Dutch betting sites to relish a legal framework? With betting sites and online casinos making noise, will the Regulator Kanssopelautoriteit take notice? Will gambling surface from the covert underworld it currently belongs to?
What about the Tax Matters?
If you had to ask us the reason why Dutch betting sites still don’t have a visible online presence, we would say that the laws need revamping. The only thing that will raise eyebrows, is the 29% tax imposed on Dutch betting site operators. You read that right, 29%, so practically apart from paying employees and other expenses, another 29% of profit would need to be sent to the regulator, as a thank you, as an allowance, call it as you will …we call it theft! A first proposal outlined a 20% tax rate, with the big names proposing a 10% tax and in return would give a great platform for job creation. Still the Dutch government wasn’t pleased, and a 29% tax to match the land-based casino operators was imposed. The good news? Even though operators would be imposed that tax, if the players happen to win a sizeable amount of money from a Dutch betting site, no taxation rates would be imposed on their winnings, should the amount won would be less than 449 Euros. However, if your winnings top that amount, unfortunately, you would need to pay the 29% tax rate!
So what is the current gambling situation?
In a world where we always want and crave the unknown, the current situation is that Ducth betting sites and the Dutch player is playing both via local Dutch sites and also via other international sites. And let’s be frank here, with a country that hosts Sex Museums and is ok with the intake of soft drugs, who should Dutch sites be banned?
The Netherlands is not as strict as the US when it comes to gambling, and even though the Dutch authorities have tried to take a stance on gambling, it has proved to be an impossible task. The modern gambler knows very well that VPN can assist you in changing your location to a place where gambling is legal, and this has been practiced in various cities across Holland. On the other hand, the authorities will close a bling eye if you opt to gamble at international sites and not Dutch sites.
There are close to 500 Dutch betting sites that are currently active, although players will always opt for an international site.
Is the future bright for Dutch betting sites?
With gambling being fluid and also one of the biggest markets in the world, who know what the future holds in terms of gambling. New laws are being discussed as we write this article, and let’s face it, we are hoping that a new law would be implemented soon.
Laws or no laws, the gambler will find a way to gamble, so let’s make it a licensed and a safe environment for him/her. A place where responsibility and fun are key!
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