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• Free Online Sports Betting Sites

Please check the online gambling regulations in your jurisdiction before placing any wagers with the betting sites advertised on SBDPlay.com, as they do vary. SBDPlay.com does not target. These sites won't hesitate to match your first deposit by 50 or 100%. Encouraging you to place better or more bets. Advantages of betting online. Betting online is a convenient way to bet on horse racing. It can be done anywhere, and at any time. If you schedule doesn't allow you to make a trip to the track, online is perfect.

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Dutch Betting Sites

The sports betting monopoly in the Netherlands is run by De Lotto. Bets can be placed on sporting events in the shops and through the Toto website.

Compared to most bookmakers, the number of markets is very limited, with betting only available on football, hockey, cycling, formula one, basketball, baseball and tennis.

This is likely indicative of the low levels of trade conducted through the Dutch-owned website.

Betting Sites – Netherlands Residents Go Abroad

Despite the strict approach that has been employed by the Dutch authorities and lack of dutch betting sites, few foreign firms have followed the request to stop accepting Dutch custom. All our recommended bookmakers offer their services to citizens of the Netherlands.

Several bookmakers such as William Hill, Betsson, Unibet and Expekt all used to offer their websites in the Dutch language for online gambling. Netherlands gaming regulator Kansspelautoriteit has dished out several fines though and so these firms seem to have taken heed and have withdrawn this option to ensure they do not appear to be actively seeking custom.

This is not too much of a hindrance for attracting sign-ups from the Netherlands, as it is estimated that 86% of the population are able to converse in English.

However, Unibet and Betclic appear to have ignored the warnings and have continued with their operations to facilitate betting for Dutch citizens. Unibet offer customer support in Dutch for 16 hours a day and Betclic still have a Dutch translation option on their website.

In terms of online casinos, there are betting firms that still market their services directly to Dutch citizens, despite the threats of sanctioned by the government. Dutch betting sites Oranje Casino and Kroon Casino, both licenced out of Malta, present their website in Dutch, offer sign up bonuses to Dutch customers and accept i-DEAL as a method of payment.

In the light of pending changes to legislation, the companies have been purchased by Scandinavian giant Betsson, who aim to have a strong opening hand when the regulated market opens.

Betting Sites Netherlands – Banking Options

There are numerous different payment methods available for citizens of the Netherlands. As most of the major bookmakers offer their services to customers from the country, the regular options of bank wiring, debit and credit cards and a plethora of e-wallets are available.

Paypal, Moneybookers/Skrill, Neteller and the ever increasing in popularity Ukash option is also available. As mentioned above, some companies that specifically target Dutch customers (Oranje Casino & Kroon Casino etc.) also tailor their payment options, providing iDEAL, a popular payment intermediary used widely in the Netherlands.

The Most Popular Sports in the Netherlands

Undoubtedly the most popular sport in the Netherlands is football. The Dutch youth system is revered around the world and has produced household names such as Johan Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin Van Persie.

However, despite the endless talent that has been produced at the footballing academies of Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord amongst others, the Dutch national side have never won the World Cup. Their best result was victory in the 1988 European Champions, but it would be fair to say that the Netherlands have not fulfilled their potential.

The Eredivisie is the top league in Dutch domestic football and whilst it is not as strong as it used to be, it still fosters the talents of many young starlets before they move on to the major European clubs. Betting on the domestic league, as well as the English Premier League and elsewhere in Europe remains popular. Dutch betting sites reflect this, and the range of odds and markets presented to Dutch residents is huge.

The second most popular sport in the Netherlands is field hockey. Whilst they are a country surrounded by neighbours who have a passion for Ice Hockey, the Dutch appear to prefer keeping the game on grass and with a ball, as opposed to on ice with a puck.

The men’s Dutch field hockey team has reached the final in four of the last six Olympic Games, winning gold twice. The women’s team is equally as dominant and retained their status as the best team in the world, winning Olympic gold at London 2012. Domestically there are two leagues; Men’s Hoofdklasse and Women’s Hoofdklasse that are covered by most of the larger bookmakers during the season.

Volleyball is also a popular sport at Dutch betting sites. Muay Thai and Kickboxing have high participation rates, both recreationally and on a professional level, with famous fighter Bas Rutten being born in the country.

Horse racing is popular in the Netherlands and there are racecourses at Groningen, Wasenaar, Wolvega and Alkmaar. Whilst there is not the equine talent on the level of Ireland, UK, France and Germany, there is a high level of interest in Trotting. As it stands, all betting on horse races and online pari-mutuel betting is run by Scientific Games Racing B.V.

Despite the confusion around gambling laws, sports betting in the Netherlands is a popular pass time. Many Dutch sports fans increase the excitement and get closer to the action by having a bet.

It’s not just traditional dutch sports though. As the world continues to spend more and more time online and on digital games rather than real ones, sport betting reflects that too and esports betting sites are growing quickly.

The History of Betting in the Netherlands

Gambling has been intertwined in Dutch culture for centuries. As far back as the 18th Century, there is evidence of organised betting. The Nederlandse Staatsloterij (national state lottery) was first established in 1726, making it the oldest running state lottery in the world.

By the early 1900s, there was a complete ban on sports betting and all other gaming activity, apart from the state lottery. This was in place until 1961 when sports betting in the Netherlands was legalised as a second state monopoly.

Gradually the government relaxed their stance on gambling and introduced new laws which allowed horse racing betting through a totalizer system. Furthermore, lottery and casino games were legalised, albeit through a monopoly and by the mid-1970’s, the citizens of the Netherlands were able to visit the first casino.

In order to regulate all of the gambling within the country, the Netherlands Gaming Control Board was formed in 1996. The purpose of this new entity was to control the six betting monopolies in the country (All of the different formats of gambling that were legal).

The Dutch government felt that by having a set company running each different facet of the betting market, they would be able to maintain a handle on the level of gambling, and the monitor practices of the firms selected.

Is sports betting legal in Netherlands? Not exactly although millions of Dutch people still place bets every year. The growth of the internet and the subsequent rise to prominence of online betting sites presented a new conundrum for not only the Dutch government but those in power all around the world who wished to strictly regulate their citizen’s gambling activities.

In a similar move to the United States, the Netherlands attempted to pass laws to ensure that banks would have to reject transactions requested by online betting companies not located in the country. However, these blocks were ignored by the banks who suggested they were unlawful.

As it stands, there are no legal online casinos in Holland (those on land are run by a solitary company Holland Casino). The aggressive approach of the regulatory authorities to online operators targeting Dutch clients was witnessed last year.

Dutch gaming regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) fined ONISAC Ltd and Mansion Online Casino Ltd a combined total of €150k because their websites offered Dutch language options and accepted payment through the Dutch e-commerce system iDeal. A similar fine was imposed on Caribbean based Global Stars, who were also considered to be actively courting Dutch custom.

There is however light at the end of the tunnel, and the Dutch authorities appeared to have succumbed to a combination of pressure from the EU and from the realisation that individuals will use foreign websites regardless, so they might as well benefit from the tax revenue that can be obtained from legalising online gambling activities.

Holland Casino has struggled and has been loss-making in the face of foreign competition, and this has initiated action from the government. Legislation to allow online betting in Holland was adopted by the Dutch parliament in 2016 but it hasn’t been approved by the Dutch Senate.

Progress to implement legal online betting in the Netherlands is expected to be slow with no clear changes expected soon.

The Future of Netherlands Betting

Changes are expected over the next few years in Dutch online betting. Netherlands bookmakers and foreign betting sites are rubbing their hands together at the prospect of gaining increased and legal exposure to a population who enjoy gambling.

Companies are already jostling for position, with the likes of Betsson already positioning themselves well by acquiring companies which are well known by Dutch citizens. Ultimately any new regulation will open up the market but will clamp down on individuals who use unlicensed websites, with taxes being imposed for those who ignore the guidelines and rules.

The Netherlands are historically a socialist country and there appears to be genuine concern from the government to ensure that gambling is undertaken in a controlled and non-detrimental manner.

Gambling Taxes

When playing at Dutch betting sites, there is a 29% tax that Netherlands residents are required to pay on their winnings. Although this doesn’t count for any amount under €454, it’s still another great reason to use overseas sites.

Under current legislation, Dutch authorities don’t tax winnings from foreign sites. That’s great news for punters as it’s legal and if you have a decent win, you’ll get to keep every penny.

Online Betting FAQs

Yes. Online gambling is legal in the Netherlands; however, the catch is that it has to be done on websites that are hosted in the country.

Free Online Betting Sites

European or decimal odds are the most common in the Netherlands and across Europe. In the UK and Ireland, odds are usually fractional. Most betting sites offer you the choice of how you want to display odds.

Yes. Accumulators can be a very good way of boosting your betting odds, however, they are more difficult to execute than singles. If you do land one though, acca’s can give huge payouts.

Most major bookmakers offer extensive markets and odds on Dutch football. Shop around to find the best odds and free bets.

Related Articles

It’s crucially important to stay safe when betting online. In fact, it should be priority number one when assessing a site to bet on.

We’ve done most of the hard work for you by searching the web, reviewing hundreds of potential betting sites, and separating the worthy sites from those you should avoid.

Check out the sites listed in the table above. All of these passed our security checks with flying colors.

Of course, we don’t just expect you to take our word on it. That’s why we’ve outlined how we made the decision to include these below if you’re interested.

The safest gambling sites are inevitably found in the countries where it is legal and regulated. These sites have to pass quality checks and comply with strict regulations to get a license from the authorities in these countries. This is one of the factors we consider when assessing a site.

Sports Betting Free Play

How We Decide if a Betting Site is Safe

There are literally tens of thousands of potential betting sites to choose from. We’ve visited, bet on, and reviewed thousands of them. Over time, we have developed criteria for assessing betting sites.

Each site listed in the table above passed the following tests:

It Must Have a Valid Gaming License

If a site doesn’t have a license issued by a credible authority, that’s a warning sign that it might not be safe. It’s even worse if it once had one but lost it. That means it violated the issuing authority’s rules.

There are lots of gaming authorities in the world, but the following are the ones we rate highest.

This is widely considered the gold standard of casino gaming licenses. The UK is a highly regulated market and there’s a zero tolerance policy towards cheating and scheming. If a betting site has a UK license, it’s almost guaranteed to be safe.

Malta is a Mediterranean island nation and an iGaming mecca. Lots of online casinos and software firms operate out of Malta. The Gaming Authority, therefore, takes licensing issues incredibly seriously and is quick to clamp down on anything considered unfair.

Geographically, Gibraltar lies off the tip of Spain. It’s actually a British overseas territory, though. While it governs its own affairs, gambling regulations stem from the UK Gambling Act (2005), making a Gibraltar license just as worthy as a UK one.

This small island nation in the Caribbean is home to thousands of remote eGaming operations. A Curacao license is generally held in high regard, and although the regulations are a little more flexible than the UKGC’s, for example, a betting site with a Curacao license is still considered pretty safe.

So, that’s a quick look at some of the top gambling regulators. Our recommended sites always have a valid license. You can double check these directly on the websites listed above.

It Must Offer Fast, Reliable Payouts

There’s more than one way for a site to be unsafe, but without a doubt, the most common sort of betting site scam is when you deposit and don’t get your money back.

Some sites also put up major obstacles to allowing you to withdraw, such as by asking for unreasonable verification documents or by putting in minimum withdrawal clauses which far exceed the deposits you have made.

We check the terms and conditions of each site we recommend and avoid recommending those with anything we think is ‘funny business.’

Ideally, we want to see same day payout for e-wallet withdrawals, and we want to see a maximum 3-5 business day wait for credit and debit card withdrawals.

Despite how some players feel, we actually like it when a casino asks you to verify your identity. As long as the process isn’t too complex or time-consuming, this means the site cares about fraud prevention and identity theft. When it comes to looking for safe betting sites, that’s a big plus.

It Must Run on a Secure, Encrypted Connection

Does the idea of advanced encryption make your head spin? Don’t worry, we feel you on that.

There’s no need to have a deep understanding of this issue to make use of it. That’s why they pay IT professionals the big bucks. All you need to know, as an online bettor, is that you want to bet at sites with https:// at the beginning of the web address.

That means the site runs on an SSL encrypted connection. Without getting into boring details, this makes it virtually impossible for hackers and criminals to steal financial and/or personal data on the connection.

If you take a look at any of the sites listed above, you’ll see that they run on secure connections. We don’t take risks with your data safety, and you should avoid any sites which aren’t encrypted.

On most browsers, a little notification will appear beside the address bar telling you if a site is not secure. Pay attention when this happens. It could be a costly mistake to ignore this.

It Must Offer Games from Reputable Software Providers

Whether it’s a sports betting site, a casino site, a poker site, or a combination of things, we want to see software from established, reliable firms.

When it comes to online casino betting sites, for example, we really like to see games from NetEnt, Microgaming, IGT, and Playtech. These companies have a long history and are guaranteed fair.

Legal Online Betting Sites

If we see betting software we don’t recognize, that’s not an automatic write-off. We know this industry is highly innovative and are always willing to give upstarts a chance. However, we need to dig deeper and find out if these companies are reputable, and ideally want to see third-party verification of payouts.

Safe betting sites will have no problem publishing payout rates and explaining how the software works. If they aren’t willing to be transparent, we aren’t willing to recommend them.

It Must Have an Established History & Solid Base of Players/Bettors

The longer a betting site has been around the better, in our view. If a site has been servicing thousands of players since 1998, it’s highly unlikely to be unsafe. If it has survived for decades, it’s a safe bet (pun fully intended).

We’re also aware, of course, that there are lots of new betting sites coming online on a daily basis, and plenty of them are safe. In those cases, we look at the management team and company running them. If they are experienced and run multiple safe betting sites, we are happy to recommend them.

If a site is totally new, run by a startup with no industry reputation or experience, it’s highly unlikely you’ll find that site on our recommended list. They will only make it if they’ve done something exceptional to win our trust.

There are some new betting sites which make the cut, but it’s rare, and as you’ll see from the table above, most of our preferred betting sites have been around for a while.

Some of the Risks Associated with Online Betting

Part of the key to staying safe when betting online is education. We don’t mean to be patronizing, but if you’re new to this, you’re more likely to fall into the hands of predatory sites and scammers.

We want to prevent that, if possible. Other than sticking to the sites which have already been reviewed in-depth by our team of experts, it helps to know what some of the common safety concerns are.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the risks associated with betting sites:

• Outright Theft – This is simply a site stealing your money or making it impossible to get it back. It happens all too often but can easily be avoided. Stick to sites with a reputation for fair, fast payouts. Also, take some time to at least skim the terms and conditions, especially the ‘withdrawals’ section.
• Identity Theft – This is the one that really seems to freak people out these days. It’s always slightly unnerving when a betting site asks you to send a copy of your ID and a recent utility bill to verify your account. Again, it won’t be such a worry if you stick to the best-known operators who have licenses requiring them to take data protection seriously.
• Fee Gouging – Those terms and conditions are a treasure trove of information, as we’ve said before. Still, virtually nobody takes the time to read them. This is where dishonest operators can confiscate your winnings for no reason or take back a hefty slice in the form of fees.
• Viruses & Malware – Lots of mobile bettors, in particular, like to download an app from their favorite betting site. However, too many less scrupulous operators install malware, adware, and spyware along with the app. Get a good antivirus program which detects malware, adware, and spyware, and you should be safe.
• Rigged Games & Odds – The crooked bookie or casino run in a smoke-filled room parlor by the mob is long gone. These days, they’ve migrated online. Some unsafe betting sites create their own odds software or casino games, which are designed to rip you off, plain and simple.

Summary

It’s always worth it to take the time to research before deciding on a betting site. You can start by reading some of our in-depth reviews.

We cover each of the points listed above in detail and leave no stone unturned. We’re not saying every site we review will turn out to be right for you, but we are saying you’ll be in a much better position to make a decision after reading one.

Free Online Sports Betting Sites

You can find our safest betting sites and their full reviews on the table at the top of this page. We wish you the best of luck!