What is Cruks?
Cruks (Centraal Register Uitsluiting Kansspelen) is the Dutch national gambling exclusion register, in force since 1 October 2021, managed by the Kansspelautoriteit.
Registration bars a person from licensed online gambling and from land-based casinos and gaming halls in the Netherlands. The minimum exclusion period is six months. Players can register themselves, and relatives or operators can request an involuntary registration, which the KSA assesses.
Licensed operators must check every player against Cruks when they register and each time they log in, and land-based venues check at the door. Breaches have led to KSA fines.
The number of registrations has grown steadily since launch and is frequently reported as an indicator of gambling problems in the Dutch market. Operators that fail to check Cruks properly risk fines from the KSA. Players can check their own registration status online, and an exclusion ends automatically after the chosen period unless the person extends it. Involuntary registrations can be challenged through an objection procedure.