Michael van Gerwen blasts threat to Dutch Darts Masters event due to gambling sponsor ban

Imago

Three-time PDC World Champion Michael van Gerwen has lamented the potential loss of the TOTO Dutch Darts Masters competition, with the future of the elite event in doubt.

Due to new regulations to be enforced as of July this year by the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, online gambling brands will be prohibited from sponsoring sports clubs, organisations and athletes.

Last weekend, Van Gerwen was a participant in the Dutch Masters tournament which was won by England’s Rob Cross, after his 8-5 victory over compatriot Stephen Bunting in Den Bosch. 

The currently ranked world number three, Van Gerwen, lost at the quarter-final stage to World Champion Luke Littler but he made his feelings clear on the situation stating:

“Those regulations in the Netherlands, they drive you completely crazy, don’t they? I know a little bit about what TOTO is doing here, it won’t be that easy to find someone else for it.

“What a shame. On the other hand: you shouldn’t get too many tournaments. Enough is enough. I think this is the limit, with this tournament added. But anyway, I have no influence on that.”

The Netherlands is a hotbed of darts, with the Dutch Masters providing a platform for fans to watch their nation’s best battle it out at the oche with other elite competitors from the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). 

The 2025 event was a success, but it could be the last. 

The significant backing from Dutch casino and sports betting provider TOTO enables the Dutch Masters to provide the prize money and status required to be part of the PDC’s World Series of Darts.

It will not be possible for TOTO to be a primary sponsor of the event next year, but it is hoped that the company can be involved to some extent.

Further doubt was cast on the future of the Dutch Masters by PDC CEO Matt Porter, who told the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that the chances of the tournament returning in its current form are 50/50.

“With the loss of TOTO, we need a new strong partner and we are in a really difficult world. It would be a shame to lose this event, but the opportunity is there,” said Porter.  

“It’s not that the Dutch darts events will die out without this tournament, but we don’t want to lose a strong tournament like this. We want clarity between Easter and the summer,” he added.

If the Dutch Masters is compromised because of the upcoming ban, the only remaining televised darts tournaments in the country would be the Premier League date in Rotterdam, the World Series finals in Amsterdam and the EuroTour competition in Rosmalen. 

It would represent a huge loss, but the KSA is not backing down. 

The regulator is adamant that sports clubs and operators will comply with the blanket ban on gambling advertising from 1st July 2025.

To learn more, visit our responsible gambling page which also offers resources and advice on where to seek help if needed.