The Dutch government is introducing stricter regulations for online gambling operators due to a surge in gambling addiction, particularly among young adults. New measures include a ban on advertising and bonuses intended to attract and retain customers. Longer-term plans involve a comprehensive spending limit across all gambling platforms and a financial assessment for players seeking to increase their limits, ensuring they can afford potential losses. Authorities are also considering reducing the number of licensed online gambling companies and are preparing measures to combat the significant illegal gambling market, which currently rivals the legal one in revenue. These actions follow concerns that the 2021 legalization of online gambling, intended to enhance consumer protection, has not effectively curbed addiction rates. Experts have long warned about the vulnerability of young people and those with mental health issues to gambling harm.