What are casinos without CRUKS?

"Casinos without CRUKS" are online gambling sites that do not check the Netherlands' central gambling exclusion register, CRUKS (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen). Registration in CRUKS stops you gambling with every provider that holds a Dutch licence, online or in person, so a site that ignores it is, in practice, a site without a Dutch licence. In the Netherlands (Dutch government and Kansspelautoriteit guidance, as of October 2026), gambling providers need a licence from the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) or a municipality. We do not list, name or link to sites outside that system. This page explains how CRUKS works, the legal position, the risks and where to get help.

What is CRUKS and who has to check it?

CRUKS is the Dutch central register for excluding people from gambling. The Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gambling regulator, manages it, and players register through its "Gokstop" page.

According to the Ksa (as of October 2026):

• Once you are registered, "you can no longer gamble with legal Dutch providers, both online and in arcades or casinos" (our translation).
• A registration lasts at least 6 months. The Ksa's guidance for providers puts the maximum at 100 years.
• You register through the Gokstop page of the CRUKS register, linked from the Ksa's player pages.
• If other help has not worked, people such as relatives, friends, employers, curators and financial administrators (bewindvoerders) can ask the Ksa to register someone involuntarily.

Licensed providers must check CRUKS. The Ksa's guidance on identity and CRUKS checks says arcades must run an access check, covering identity and CRUKS status, every time a player enters, and that online providers may not admit new players while the CRUKS system is down.

What happens if you try to play while registered?

At a licensed provider, you are turned away. The Ksa's guidance for arcades says every entry requires an access check of identity and CRUKS status, that a registered player must be refused entry, and that checking the visitor's citizen service number (BSN) is a legal requirement. A first visit needs an original identity document such as a passport, a European identity card or a Dutch driving licence; copies are not accepted.

Online, the same register sits behind every Dutch-licensed site and app, and the Ksa's guidance says online providers may not admit new players while the CRUKS system is down. The system is built so that a registration holds even on a bad day. That is the point of it.

Is it legal to offer gambling in the Netherlands without CRUKS?

No. The Dutch government's page on gambling rules says providers need a licence from the Kansspelautoriteit or a municipality, that the Ksa grants licences and checks that licence holders follow the rules, and that it takes action against illegal providers.

Because a CRUKS registration stops you playing with every legal Dutch provider, a site that lets registered players in is operating outside the Dutch licensing system. That is why these sites are, in practice, unlicensed in the Netherlands.

Why do people search for casinos without CRUKS?

Some people want products or offers they cannot find at Dutch-licensed sites. Others have registered in CRUKS and want to play during their registration. If you are in the second group, the pull to gamble while registered is a reason to get more support, not a sign that registering was a mistake.

What are the risks?

• Your registration does not follow you. CRUKS covers providers licensed in the Netherlands. A site outside the system does not check it.
• Unpaid winnings. The Dutch government warns that "people at illegal casinos sometimes do not get their winnings paid into their account" (our translation).
• No Dutch supervision. The Ksa supervises licensed operators under Dutch law, which it says helps ensure a safe environment where games are fair. An unlicensed site is outside that supervision.
• No one to order payment. If a site points to an offshore licence, that regulator may not be able to help. The Curaçao Gaming Authority, for example, says it "is not a civil court and cannot order gaming operators to compensate players".
• Data and payments. You give identity documents and payment details to a business no Dutch regulator supervises.

Our guide to unlicensed casino red flags lists the warning signs. Our explainers on the Curaçao licence and the MGA licence explain what those licences do and do not mean for players outside those jurisdictions.

How do you check whether a site is licensed in the Netherlands?

The Ksa recommends checking before you play.

1. Open the Ksa's register of licensees or its Kansspelwijzer licence-check tool.
2. Search by company name, website, app or licence number, as the Ksa suggests.
3. Confirm that the exact website or app you want to use appears and that the licence is current.
4. If it does not appear, do not register or deposit.

Our step-by-step guide on how to verify a gambling licence explains how to read regulator registers, including the Ksa's.

What are the licensed alternatives?

If you are not registered in CRUKS and want to gamble online in the Netherlands, use only providers on the Ksa's register. They must check CRUKS and are supervised under Dutch law. Our online casinos hub explains in general terms how licensed online casinos work. We do not currently publish Dutch listings.

If you are registered in CRUKS, the licensed alternative is not to gamble until the registration ends.

What to do next if you are registered in CRUKS

• Get support. The Ksa points players to OpenOverGokken (openovergokken.nl) for information and support, whether you are worried about your own gambling or someone else's.
• Ask the Ksa. Its information line is 070 302 13 00 (option 1, weekdays 9:00 to 13:00), or use its contact form.
• Consider a longer registration if six months does not feel like enough.
• Add device blocking. Free tools such as BetBlocker work on computers and phones. Our guide on how to block gambling sites compares the options.
• Ask your bank whether it can block gambling payments on your cards.
• If you have lost money to an unlicensed site, our complaints hub explains what is realistic. More support is on our safer gambling hub.