The Netherlands’ regulated online gambling market launch will be delayed by two months due to complications arising through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Friday, Sander Dekker, Minister for Legal Protection of the Ministry of Justice and Security, sent a letter to the Dutch parliament’s lower house explaining that the Remote Gambling Act (RGA) is now expected to take effect on March 1, 2021, two months later than planned.

Since the government has previously stated that the regulated online market launch would occur six months after the RGA took effect – in order for the Kanspelautoriteit (KSA) regulator time to vet online license applications – the most recent launch timeline of July 1, 2021 will now be pushed back until September 1.

Dekker said this delay “creates more space for all parties to prepare” for the regulatory shift to a competitive online gambling market. This includes all operators ensuring that their systems can connect to the CRUKS centralized register of gamblers who want to self-exclude from licensed sites.