Dutch Lottery Annual Report 2024: Net turnover increased

The turnover of Nederlandse Loterij (NLO) decreased in 2024 from €6.4 billion to €6.1 billion, but the net turnover increased by 7.7% to €724 million. The State Participation paid out less prize money and was thus able to absorb the decreased turnover and convert it into an increased net turnover. The main reason for the decrease in turnover is the introduction of the playing limits for online games of chance, Nederlandse Loterij writes in its annual report for 2024.

Annual Report 2024 Nederlandse Loterij

State Participation Nederlandse Loterij published its annual report for 2024 on Tuesday. The parent company of, among others, TOTO and the Staatsloterij saw its turnover decrease from €6.4 million to €6.1 billion. According to Nederlandse Loterij, the introduction of the playing limits for online casinos in the Netherlands is partly to blame for this.

At the same time, the company from Rijswijk saw its net turnover increase from €672 million in 2023 to €724 million in 2024. The decrease in deposits could be absorbed, among other things, by lowering the payout percentage from 89.8% to 88.3%, calculated across all brands of the state participation:

“The increase in net turnover is the result of an increase in the number of tickets sold for regular lottery draws, a successful New Year’s Eve draw, an increase in the number of bets on sports betting, and a slight decrease in the payout percentage.”
Nederlandse Loterij

In an accompanying press release, CEO Arjan Blok expresses his pride in Nederlandse Loterij’s contribution to society:

“In total, we have been able to give back more than one and a half billion euros to society since the creation of Nederlandse Loterij. This year we can contribute no less than 203.6 million euros, a record amount. As a supporter of grassroots sports, TeamNL, social activities, and health initiatives, we are thus setting the Netherlands in motion. Our players also contribute to this; by participating in our games, they have a chance to win great cash prizes and support Dutch sports, 18 charities, and society.”
Arjan Blok, CEO Nederlandse Loterij

Expectation that gross gaming revenue will decrease significantly

Partly due to this change in the payout percentage, the turnover increased, and with it the contributions and the gaming tax paid. Nederlandse Loterij paid a total of €187 million in gaming tax, €21 million more than in 2023.

In the 2024 annual report, Nederlandse Loterij pays extensive attention to the gaming tax and the plans to further increase the rate. The state participation calls 2025 a challenging year:

“2025 will be a challenging year for Nederlandse Loterij. We will face a substantial further increase in the gaming tax from 30.5 percent to 34.2 percent in 2025 and 37.8 percent in 2026. This is a phased increase in burden of almost €50 million and puts pressure on our earning capacity. Furthermore, 2025 will be the first full year with stricter playing limits for online games of chance following the new regulations per October 1, 2024. In addition, the ban on sports sponsorship for online gambling providers will take effect on July 1, 2025. This will further reduce the legal, safe supply of online games of chance.”
Nederlandse Loterij

The increase in the gaming tax and the measures in the area of responsible gaming create the necessary challenges. In the 2024 annual report, Nederlandse Loterij states that the measures together will cause a significant decrease in the gross gaming revenue:

“Nederlandse Loterij expects that this accumulation of measures will not only affect our financial results, but will also ensure that fewer players choose the legal offer. Nederlandse Loterij expects that the gross gaming revenue of legal providers will fall further than the 60% at the end of 2024.”
Nederlandse Loterij

CEO Blok reiterates that the proposed further increase in the Gaming Tax must be removed:

“[…] the increase in the gaming tax – year on year – hits sports hard. Just like the VAT increase on sports, this tax increase must also be removed. Soon, a total of around 50 million euros of our contribution will go directly to the Tax Authorities. Money that is intended for society, of which around 15 million euros is to stimulate sports and exercise in the Netherlands. Especially now that sports desperately need our structural financial support. Therefore, freeze the gaming tax so that we can first map the consequences of the increase”,

Arjan Blok, CEO Nederlandse Loterij

NOC*NSF concerned about the future

Although NOC*NSF received a record amount of €54.6 million from Nederlandse Loterij in 2024, the sports umbrella organization expressed great concern about the future. NOC*NSF’s general director Marc van den Tweel warned during the General Meeting last night that the expected reduction in the contribution, partly due to the increase in the gaming tax, could lead to up to €15 million less income annually from 2025.

In addition, other government contributions to the sports sector are also decreasing, such as the BOSA subsidy and municipal funds. Van den Tweel fears that these financial setbacks will result in higher contributions, less sports participation among children, and ultimately a negative impact on the top sports performance of the Netherlands. He emphasized that this policy demonstrates short-term thinking and called on politicians to take the collateral damage for sports seriously, as NOS noted.

State Secretary Vincent Karremans (Youth, Prevention, and Sport), who was present as a guest speaker at the General Meeting, could not make any concrete commitments regarding the announced cuts by the cabinet. “I can only promise that I will look into the consequences of these decisions,” said Karremans.

Nederlandse Loterij annual report 2024: record number of players TOTO Online

For bookmaker TOTO, there were some positive points to mention, including the number of active players during the European Football Championship in the summer of 2024. Nederlandse Loterij writes in its 2024 annual report that there was a record number of active players at TOTO during the European final tournament.

In contrast to the 2023 annual report, the 2024 annual report does not specify how high the turnover of TOTO Online was in 2024. Nederlandse Loterij writes in the annual report that the company is a ‘leader in the online gaming market with a responsible offer’. The annual report of Nederlandse Loterij also describes that TOTO Online experienced growth in the number of players and net turnover. Concrete numbers are not mentioned.

It was also a good year for TOTO’s sister brand Winnitt. In 2024, bingo was introduced at Winnitt after the departure of tombola, the market leader within this segment at that time. According to Nederlandse Loterij, Winnitt would soon have taken a leading position within the bingo segment.

Nederlandse Loterij annual report 2024: number of interventions increased by 55%

The fact that there were more active players at TOTO was also reflected in the number of interventions that Nederlandse Loterij used with its players. In total, the number of interventions increased by 55% compared to a year earlier: from 34,844 to 54,156.

Nederlandse Loterij explains in its 2024 annual report that since 2023, players have been contacted earlier to make them aware of the risks of gambling addiction. Since then, the number of interventions has been increasing, and that trend continued in 2024. Fewer players were nominated for registration in Cruks, but in all earlier stages there is an increase in the number of players who were approached.

TOTO players who choose to exclude themselves are offered extra help by Nederlandse Loterij, according to the 2024 annual report. The players are offered a license for the blocking software Gamban, which helps players to block all gambling sites. In 2024, 724 customers received a license for Gamban via TOTO.