Minister doesn't want to impose further limits on online gambling yet

Outgoing Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind does not want to limit online gambling any further at this time, he said during a debate about the budget of Justice and Security. Weerwind advised against propositions by the ChristenUnie and the CDA. The Tweede Kamer will vote on both motions on Tuesday.

The ChristenUnie's plan to introduce a generally applicable financial gambling limit before the summer is supported by a majority of the Tweede Kamer. According to Weerwind, arranging such a limit that should apply to all 27 online gambling providers is time-consuming and complex "to enforce."

A total ban on gambling commercials, like the CDA is proposing, is also not supported by Weerwind. Commercials for gambling are already partly banned, and Weerwind claims that the ban will be enlarged in the next few years. He would first like to wait for an evaluation of the effects of that before a decision is made about extending the advertising ban.

The CDA thinks that will take too long. CDA MP Derk Boswijk does not understand the "hesitation" from the Minister. "What is stopping us from taking measures now?" Weerwind "wants facts first," he said, and they will be shown during an evaluation. SP MP Michiel van Nispen says that the facts are already there. He claims that several organizations are seeing a rise in gambling addicts. He calls on Weerwind "to step up our game, especially to protect the young adults who fall prey to it."

Weerwind's stance was unchanged.

If the Kamer votes in favor of the motions on Tuesday, the Minister can still decide not to execute them. NSC, ChristenUnie, SP, and SGP support the motion proposed by the CDA. That is not a Kamer majority yet.