Dutch KSA Tightens Deposit Limit Affordability Requirements for iGaming Operators

The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has recently updated its regulatory framework for online gambling operators, releasing revised guidance on the statutory means test for players. This follows a period of oversight that uncovered persistent non-compliance and procedural weaknesses among licensees, despite broader industry improvements.

The updated document, titled "good and bad practices," aims to clarify how operators must assess a player's financial capacity to sustain higher deposit limits within the Netherlands' responsible-gaming regime. A crucial clarification specifies that monthly deposit thresholds should be determined solely based on a player's structural (recurring) income.

Notably, the KSA explicitly states that liquid assets, such as savings, business assets, home equity, or one-time payments like bonuses and gifts, are not to be factored into a player's regular income for affordability calculations. The regulator highlighted that previous phrasing may have led some operators to incorrectly include these non-recurring assets, resulting in elevated deposit limits for players.

Since October 2024, licensed online gambling operators in the Netherlands have been mandated to perform a means test whenever players seek to deposit funds exceeding predefined monthly limits. These limits are set at €300 net for individuals aged 18 to 24 and €700 for those 24 and older. This test forms a core component of the KSA's