Netherlands introduces improved self-exclusion program

The Netherlands is one of the most tightly regulated markets in Europe and yet – it is one of the most lucrative ones for gambling brands, and the safest for players. Following in this tradition, the country has introduced an updated version of its self-exclusion program, the Central Register Exclusion of Games of Chance or Crucks.

The latest version of the program makes it better understood what a temporary break from gambling means, which may help with the onboarding of more players who are hesitant to resort to the measure as they may see it a little too intrusive or restrictive in terms of how long the exclusion period lasts.

Since gambling launched officially in the country on October 1, 2021, there have been 38,000 registrations with the self-registration program, demonstrating that there is a strong awareness that it exists and a cohort of gamblers who need it services. Although the program is still short of the 365,000 people registered with GAMSTOP in the United Kingdom, the scheme is proving to be increasingly efficient.

The updated measure will now continue to help consumers to make a life-changing decision and enrol in the program. This is not to say that Cruks is actually shortening the time of the self-exclusion, but it makes it adds changes to the way players roll out of the program following the six months. The minimum exclusion period remains six months and it applies to online games of chance and arcades.

The exclusion can naturally be set for a longer period of time, and it applies to all licensed operators in the country. The change in the program is more so to do with the language used to describe the process, with the previous wording suggesting that players would take a "play break," but research indicating that "gambling stop" would in fact be a more apt phrasing.

Another change is the fact that players who wish to unsubscribe after the six-month period would have to go through an eight-day consideration period which would prevent people from impulsively unsubscribing from a product they may need. The Kansspelautoriteit, the country’s gambling regulator, is confident that these changes would make for a meaningful and important change.

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