Netherlands Renews Eight Online Gaming Operators’ Licenses
The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) announced that it has issued the first set of follow-up licenses. A total of eight gaming companies have had their licenses renewed so far. KSA Issues New Licenses to Eight Companies For reference, the first set of online gambling licenses in the…
The Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) announced that it has issued the first set of follow-up licenses. A total of eight gaming companies have had their licenses renewed so far. KSA Issues New Licenses to Eight Companies For reference, the first set of online gambling licenses in the country was issued in 2021 when the current iGaming framework was launched. These licenses were set to expire at the end of September 2026, forcing operators to seek renewal. As mentioned, the KSA has agreed to issue follow-up permits to eight companies. These businesses will therefore be allowed to operate from October 2026 to September 2031. The companies that have been issued follow-up licenses are the following: TOTO Online B.V. (TOTO and Winnitt) Holland Casino N.V. (Holland Casino Online) Play North Limited (Kansino) FPO Nederland B.V. (FairPlay Casino) Bingoal Nederland B.V. (Bingoal) Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc (Bet365) NSUS Malta Limited (GG Poker) Betent B.V. (Betcity) The KSA explained that it assessed various subjects before issuing follow-up licenses. Among other things, the regulator carefully assessed any instances of non-compliance that the licensees have committed in the past five years. The operators applying for renewals were explicitly asked to explain what measures they have taken to make sure that no further breaches of the same type occur. In the end, the KSA concluded that the eight listed gambling operators meet the requirements for obtaining a follow-up license. As a result, they can continue to do business in the Dutch iGaming market uninterrupted. The KSA Continues to Watch Over the Sector Speaking of violations, Holland Casino recently found itself in hot water after it allowed a self-excluded player to gamble at one of its land-based casinos. The player in question was a reporter who was excluded from gambling and wished to see if casinos’ controls were sufficient. He ended up using a colleague’s driver’s license to access Holland Casino’s Eindhoven venue. Despite checking the documents, staff members could not detect the discrepancy and ultimately allowed the reporter to play. In addition to the Holland Casino venue, the player was also allowed to play at Jack’s Casino in Utrecht and Casino Be One in Rotterdam, highlighting a broader problem. After examining the situation, the KSA said that it will take appropriate action. In other news, the KSA recently published the results of a new study that provided a more detailed look at how early exposure to gambling could affect the way young people perceive and interact with the gambling industry.