European Tax Hikes on Gambling: What It Means for Affiliates

Take the Netherlands: they’ve pushed the tax rate up to 34.2% and are already planning to reach nearly 38% by 2026. Sounds great for the treasury, but the reality? Operators are making less, players are unhappy, and many are moving to the grey market. Players are practical: they go where the conditions are better.

Sweden raised the tax from 18% to 22%, and everyone in the industry is warning the same thing: this just pushes people to unlicensed sites. Those guys don’t pay taxes, but they throw out generous bonuses. So instead of collecting more, the state risks losing both revenue and control.

Eastern Europe’s following the same path. Romania will soon hike to 27%, the Czech Republic already moved to 30%, and Slovakia plans to join. Germany charges a 5.3% levy on every euro bet on slots and poker — and the result? Roughly 80% of slot play has already gone offshore.

France, as usual, went hardline: they want to grab an extra €1.6bn by expanding taxation even further.

And then there’s the UK. The government is planning a complete overhaul — replacing three different rates with one unified tax. Options on the table range from moderate hikes to radical ideas like doubling the rate. Imagine: up to 50%! Sure, the budget might like that, but operators warn it’ll destroy channelization (the share of players staying in the legal system). And yeah, the decision is coming this November.

So what’s the bigger picture? Politics and populism often win out over logic. In tough times, it’s easy for governments to target gambling — it’s profitable, not too sympathetic in the public eye, and fills a gap in the budget. The problem is, if they overdo it, they just hand more business to the black market.

Now, here’s what it means for us in affiliate marketing. When operators lose revenue and players, they cut back on marketing budgets, bonuses, and affiliate payouts. Competition for traffic will heat up, and RevShare/CPA offers might look less attractive in high-tax regions.

The takeaway: keep an eye on tax news in your target markets. If you see hikes, expect tighter deals. Think about diversifying GEOs or leaning toward regions with friendlier tax policies.

And hey — if you ever decide to switch affiliate programs or even niches, check out Top Gambling Affiliate Programs. It’s a solid collection of iGaming affiliate programs, so you can compare and find the right fit for your traffic.

So yeah — these tax changes aren’t just about politics and budgets. They’re about our paycheck, too.