Growing concerns over rising youth debt levels in the Netherlands have sparked renewed calls to increase the legal gambling age from 18 to 24.

Meryam Sümer, a councillor from the CDA party in Enschede, urged national lawmakers to tighten gambling restrictions after new municipal data revealed that one in five young people in the city is currently in debt.

Youth debt concerns intensify

According to local figures, Enschede registered more than 12,000 reports of problematic debt in 2025, including nearly 1,000 cases involving eviction risks or utility disconnections.

Sümer argued that online gambling, buy-now-pay-later services and aggressive digital advertising are contributing to financial problems among young adults.

She warned that many youngsters lack the financial awareness to manage gambling offers, instalment purchases and subscription-based spending promoted through social media and gaming platforms.

Calls for stricter gambling rules

The councillor is now advocating for the minimum legal age for online gambling to be raised to 24, alongside tighter controls on gambling advertising and consumer credit products.

Her proposal builds on earlier discussions in Dutch politics around stricter age limits for online slots and stronger affordability protections.

Former Dutch state secretary Teun Struycken previously proposed increasing the minimum age for online slots to 21, while some politicians have suggested introducing a blanket gambling age of 21 across all verticals.

Concerns over black market risks

The proposal remains controversial within the Dutch gambling sector.

KSA chairman Michel Groothuizen previously warned that stricter age restrictions could push younger players toward illegal offshore gambling platforms that lack consumer protections and responsible gambling safeguards.

The Netherlands already operates some of Europe’s strictest gambling advertising regulations, including bans on untargeted gambling ads and restrictions on marketing aimed at individuals under 24.

However, concerns persist over social media advertising exposure among younger audiences.

Debate over youth protection continues

Sümer acknowledged that a complete ban on gambling products would likely be unrealistic but stressed the importance of reducing what she described as “temptations” facing young adults.

Her comments add further pressure on Dutch lawmakers as debates continue around gambling reform, youth protection and the long-term effectiveness of the country’s regulated online gambling framework.

Sources: IGB