Powered by
 
 Register now

Gaming in the Netherlands: GEO Overview

1075 words · Reading time: 6 minutes
https://ucarecdn.com/01055f63-e283-406a-873e-22c1f87c730b/

At the beginning of 2021, Dutch authorities announced new restrictions on gaming advertising. Here’s a look at what’s going on in the Dutch GEO going into 2022.

The gaming landscape in the Netherlands is changing, which is why we have put together a fresh review of the GEO to find out what’s really going on. 

In this article, we will look at general figures and facts about the Netherlands, its people, popular payment systems and the impact of new restrictions on the promotion of gaming offers. 

The Netherlands - Facts and figures

The Netherlands is the official name of a small European country of only 41,400 km². It is home to 17.5 million people. The country is also often referred to as Holland. 

Not many people know that in addition to the mainland, there are three islands in the Caribbean - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba with a combined population of approximately 25,000 people. 

The major cities in Holland are the picturesque capital city of Amsterdam, with an estimated population of 872,700 in 2019, as well as Rotterdam (617,300), The Hague (515,800) and Utrecht (306,300). 

The Netherlands is famous for its rich history and culture. Its most famous icons are the painter Van Gogh, tulips, colourful water channels and windmills. The general population are highly educated, scoring the nation 0.944 on the Human Development Index (HDI), one of the highest in the world.

Financial solvency of the Dutch

A strong economy makes life in the Netherlands stable and measured. People here are used to receiving high social benefits from the state, as well as having a stable income of an average of 37,000 euros a year.

The GDP per capita in the Netherlands is $59,693. Inflation is very low here, which stays at 1.3% year after year. Also, the unemployment rate is one of the lowest in European countries at just 4.7%. Highly intellectual work is valued here. On average, the typical person earns about 2,152 euros a month.

It is also worth noting that it is not typical for Dutch people to brag about their income. Even with a high income, they prefer to use public transport, or ride bicycles to work. You won’t recognize a wealthy Dutch person by their clothes or accessories because they othen value personal comfort and moral comfort over vanity. The Dutch willingly spend their savings on entertainment, travel and hobbies.

Internet and payment systems in the Netherlands

About 95% of the population in the Netherlands is connected to the Internet, which is more than 16.6 million inhabitants. At the same time, as of 2020, more than 84.1% of users go online using smartphones.

Electronic payment systems are actively used in Holland. The most popular are:

  • PayPal;
  • Klarna;
  • SEPA;
  • iDEAL;
  • Visa/Mastercard.

Dutch people trust banks, preferring to keep their savings in bank accounts. Popular banks in the Netherlands include:

  • GarantiBank International;
  • ING Bank;
  • KAS Bank;
  • Rabobank.

The first three banking organizations have their head offices in Amsterdam. The last on the list Rabobank is popular in the provinces, and its main office is located in The Hague.

The top ten most popular Internet resources in Holland are as follows:

  1. google.com 
  2. youtube
  3. facebook
  4. google.nl
  5. ad.nl 
  6. wikipedia
  7. live.com. 
  8. telegraaf.nl
  9. twitter.com 
  10. nos.nl

As you can see, people here are actively interested in news and educational sites. It should be noted, the extended list also includes Instagram, Pornhub and Whatsapp.

In terms of preferred search engines, according to StatCounter statistics, Google Chrome leads with 58.08%, followed by Safari with 23.47%. Rounding out the top three with Edge is 6.47%.

image

Legislative regulation of gaming advertising in the Netherlands

Despite legalized prostitution, as well as the sale and use of light drugs, the country has a very strict attitude to gaming. 

Online casino advertising is supervised by the Kansspelautoriteit (KSI). According to the innovations of 2021, gaming advertising is prohibited on radio and television between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm. The authorities also require that gaming advertisements must be soft and unobtrusive. 

The participation of celebrities in advertisements is strictly controlled, as is direct encouragement to spend a lot of time on gaming platforms. This is intended to reduce the degree of “pernicious influence” on the population, and halt the spread of addiction.

For companies that wish to obtain a government license to operate an online gaming site in the Netherlands, the authorities have the following requirements:

  • mandatory presence of the company’s physical office in an EU country;
  • have an official representative in Holland - a person responsible for the prevention of addiction among players;
  • pass the obligatory check for the necessary documents certified by the Netherlands online gaming regulatory authorities;
  • pay a registration fee of approximately 45,000 euros from the date of application for the license.

At the moment, the Dutch authorities complain that many players in the country are not legally protected, because they play on unlicensed platforms. Also, high requirements and innovations in the legislation are associated with the under-recovery of tax profits.

Dutch Idiosyncrasies

Finally, let’s talk about the characteristics of the Dutch mentality. This information will come in handy for your promotional materials.

Perhaps the main feature of the Netherlands can be identified as their dislike of advertising in general. The people of Amsterdam and other parts of the Netherlands are impatient with any advertising. Perhaps this is due to their straightforwardness. 

In the Netherlands, it is difficult to find veiled hidden meanings. Here everyone says directly what they think. Consequently, it is profitable for affiliates in their creatives to immediately show all the advantages of their offers.

Any advertising should be as short and rich as possible. The Dutch value their time, and they won’t watch long commercials or read long texts. 

It is also customary for the Dutch to talk at lengths about their problems. They love to evaluate different situations, express their opinions and give advice to others. They even have a special word “bespreekbaarheid”, which can be translated as “willingly expressing oneself”. This is probably the reason why their news sites are among the most visited. Give the Dutch a reason to find out interesting news and express their opinion and they will gladly follow the link you provided.

The Bottom Line

The Netherlands is a tasty GEO for affiliates from various verticals. Open-minded and inquisitive, yet well-to-do Dutch people love to spend money on entertainment. Be careful, but honest in your creative ideas, test the top game offers and get decent earnings on European gambling!

Finished reading?
Then it’s time to make some money.

Register with Converting Team today and we’ll show you how.

Register now

Or click the share button below to spread the word.