Franc Weerwind, Dutch Minister for Legal Protection is looking at implementing a cross-operator limit on stake and time on iGaming. Following pressure from Dutch MPs, and in the early days of lifting a blanket ban on iGaming properties, there is talk of implementing stake and time limits.
The lifting of a long and storied ban on online gambling in the Netherlands was lifted in October of 2021, allowing for legal sports betting online and the legal use of casino games and slot machines online.
What do stake and time limits do?
Stake and time limits are caps on how much money and time, respectively, the player can spend on the gambling site. The point is to make the player aware of how much time they are spending on the slots so that they have more of a chance of knowing when to stop. Additionally, players can set a limit on how much they spend, so that, no matter the outcome, they will need to step away from the site and not get any deeper with their spending.
It’s all done in an attempt to encourage safer gambling, which has been a concern for the Dutch government since the ban on online gambling was lifted in 2021.
What is being said?
On the subject, Franc Weerwind said: “I want two options for investigation,” he said, “Setting a maximum to the existing limits and examining whether a limit can apply across all providers.
“For privacy reasons, it was not decided in the Gambling Act to monitor gaming behaviour, including playing limits, across all providers, but I am now investigating whether technology has advanced to such an extent that this mode can still be found specifically for playing limits.”
