By Dennis van Bergen
It all sounded so promising for clubs in the Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Division. After years of debate, the online gambling market was finally legalized on October 1, 2021. It heralded the beginning of an era when the majority of clubs were assured of large amounts of money from online gambling companies. But that era turns out to be short-lived.
On Friday, the cabinet announced that from January 1, 2023, spots for online gambling may no longer be broadcast on radio and TV. As of 2024, sponsorship of programs and events will be a thing of the past. A year later, in 2025, providers of online gambling games will no longer be allowed to display sports shirts. “Of course we already sensed this news a bit,” says NEC general director Wilco van Schaik. “But that doesn’t make it any less of a blow. The financial consequences are huge for clubs.”