The chairman of the Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA), Michel Groothuizen, has called for everyone under court-appointed financial administration or legal curatorship to be added automatically to the Cruks self-exclusion register.
Groothuizen made the argument in a blog post, stating that existing legal and financial protections afforded to these individuals do not currently extend to the gambling sector.
His proposal centres on bridging that gap, with automatic Cruks registration seen as a necessary step toward shielding the Netherlands’ most financially and legally vulnerable consumers from gambling-related harm.
According to Groothuizen, approximately 250,000 people in the Netherlands are under protective orders, with a further 25,000 under guardianship arrangements.
The Central Guardianship and Administration Register, known as the CCBR, holds records of people under guardianship or administration, including those with problematic debts or addiction histories.
Groothuizen argued that a direct link between the CCBR and Cruks would deliver a straightforward and effective layer of protection for this particularly at-risk group.
“These people are especially vulnerable with gambling, which has a high addiction factor and large expenses,” he said. “There should be a simple proposal to automatically include those registered in the CCBR in Cruks for the duration that they are under protection or guardianship.”
He drew a pointed comparison to illustrate the logic behind the measure, adding: “By linking the CCBR directly to Cruks, we offer optimal protection to an extremely vulnerable group. We cannot close the door to the liquor store for the alcoholic, but we can certainly lock the door to the legal casino for a future addict.”
Groothuizen also used the blog to address broader questions around harm prevention in the Dutch gambling market, making clear that he views gambling as a product requiring a distinctly different regulatory approach than most consumer goods.
“Gambling is not an ordinary product,” he said. “It can cause major financial, social and health problems, not only for gamblers themselves but also for the people around them.”
Despite his firm stance on consumer protection, Groothuizen was careful to flag the risks of overreach, warning that overly restrictive measures could push players away from the regulated market and toward illegal operators.
He stressed that channelisation must remain a central consideration in any new harm reduction policy, ensuring the legal market stays competitive enough to retain players who might otherwise turn to unlicensed alternatives.
“The challenge is to protect vulnerable people while ensuring the legal market remains attractive enough that players do not turn to illegal providers,” he said.
The proposal reflects an ongoing effort by the KSA to strengthen responsible gambling frameworks in the Netherlands as regulators across Europe continue to wrestle with balancing player protection and a viable, regulated gambling industry.
