Dutch State Secretary for Taxation Eugène Heijnen has dismissed the idea of implementing new measures to offset the anticipated drop in online gambling revenue caused by higher taxes.
Responding to questions in parliament last week, Heijnen confirmed there are no plans to address the projected decline. As reported by Casino Nieuws, he stated that gambling tax revenues are expected to remain consistent with the forecasts recently outlined by the KSA.
Eugène Heijnen, State Secretary for Taxation, mentioned:
It is true that the estimate for revenue has been revised downwards this year. This picture is broadly consistent with the expectations communicated by the KSA in a recent report.
In August, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) reported that the new tax policy could cut iGaming revenue by €40 million ($47 million), a stark contrast to earlier projections of a €100 million growth in GGR for 2025.
The decline stems from a two-step gambling tax hike in the Netherlands: rates rose from 30.5% to 34.2% of GGR on 1 January 2025 and are set to climb again to 37.8% from 1 January 2026.
Supporting this outlook, trade association VNLOK warned in August that the higher rate could create a €200 million shortfall in 2025, citing a 25% year-on-year drop in GGR during the first half of the year. The group attributed the downturn to the tax hike combined with new restrictions such as advertising and sponsorship bans, stricter deposit limits, and other regulatory pressures. VNLOK urged the government to revisit the current tax framework.
Despite these concerns, the Ministry of Finance has maintained that the increased tax rates will generate around €200 million in additional annual revenue between 2025 and 2028.
In a brief parliamentary debate, Heijnen admitted that gambling tax revenues, especially from the online sector, are falling short. He attributed this to stricter regulations but stressed that the laws would not be adjusted in response.
Eugène Heijnen, State Secretary for Taxation, added:
In accordance with budgetary rules, windfalls and shortfalls in tax revenue are reflected in the balance after policy is adopted.
Therefore, the revenue shortfall from this perspective is not a compensatory policy.
Heijnen only recently assumed the role of State Secretary for Taxation, taking office in early September following the resignation of Tjebbe Van Oostenbruggen at the end of August. Van Oostenbruggen was among several officials who stepped down after Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned over the government’s decision to block sanctions against Israel amid the conflict in Palestine. Gambling minister Teun Struycken also departed his post.
