The Netherlands: Why strict regulation hits the legal gambling sector harder than the illegal market

When the Dutch government raised the gambling tax rate from 30.5% to 37.8% in 2025–2026, the rationale seemed straightforward: a higher tax rate would generate more revenue for the state budget. However, a joint monitoring report by the Ministry of Finance and the local regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit, published in June 2026, told a different story: actual budget revenues turned out to be tens of percent lower than expected.

A detailed analysis of the report suggests that the reasons go beyond a simple increase in the tax rate. This experience offers important lessons for Ukraine as it considers the future of its gambling market, writes Anton Kuchukhidze, head of the Ukrainian Gambling Council, in his column. Read more