Efforts are underway in parliament to tackle the growing online gambling problem in the Netherlands by introducing a total ban on advertising.

The Socialist Party and ChristenUnie are drawing up draft legislation because, they say, the cabinet is taking too long to come up with measures of its own.

Several recent reports have highlighted the surge in online gambling since it was legalised in 2021. “The findings are shocking,” said ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker. “We have been naive and did not realise that thanks to mobile phones, you take your slot machine with you everywhere you go.”

The parties propose banning all advertising, making it impossible to pay by credit card and requiring gambling firms to hand over more of their profits to treat gambling addiction.

“I hope more parties now realise that we need very tough rules,” said SP parliamentarian Michiel van Nispen.

Up to now, motions to tackle online gambling can always count on majority support in parliament. As yet it is unclear when this motion will be debated.

Earlier this month, the government’s research agency WODC said legislation licencing online gambling companies in the Netherlands has boosted addiction, particularly among young adults and needs urgent reform.

The national addiction watchdog said in January that tens of thousands of people have been hit by financial problems as a result of the way online gambling was legalised three years ago.

Legal online gambling was introduced to the Netherlands in 2021, with the government saying a regulated legal market would make it easier to help people who were gambling illegally on foreign websites.

Instead, a string of reports have shown how the measures led to an explosion in people becoming addicted and building up debts. In total, 27 companies offering 37 different labels now have a licence to operate in the Netherlands.