The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) has granted the first eight follow-up licences to online gambling operators, allowing them to continue operating in the Netherlands for another five years.
The licences will run from October 2026 through September 2031. The first licences issued when online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in 2021 expire at the end of September 2026.
The eight operators granted follow-up licences are TOTO Online BV, which operates TOTO and Winnitt; Holland Casino NV, which operates Holland Casino Online; Play North Limited, which operates Kansino; FPO Nederland BV, which operates FairPlay Casino; Bingoal Nederland BV, which runs Bingoal; Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc, which operates Bet365; NSUS Malta Limited, which operates GG Poker; and Betent BV, which operates Betcity.
The initial 2021 licensing round included 10 operators. LiveScore Bet and Tombola subsequently exited the Dutch market in 2024, leaving the eight operators named in the KSA’s first batch of follow-up licences.
The KSA adopted a more granular and stringent approach to the renewal process compared with the 2021 licensing round, following new policy rules set out by the regulator in September 2025.
One of the new rules applies to licensees that faced compliance enforcement during the previous five years. Operators that made mistakes during that period must explain during the application process how they learned from those mistakes and how they intend to prevent them from recurring. If the KSA considers the explanation insufficient, the licence may be denied, or additional conditions and restrictions may be imposed.
The requirement raised concerns among operators over whether the barriers to entry had become more restrictive. However, at a meeting on the policies last year, the regulator assured licensees that it was not enforcing a specific strict rule on the matter.
Speaking to iGB at the time, Bjorn Fuchs, Chairman of VNLOK Fuchs, said there was a “sigh of relief” in the room when the approach was presented. He said operators with a clean record would still have to complete certain requirements, but could submit declarations confirming compliance for various modules.
As part of the renewal process, applicants were required to detail corrective actions taken to address previous breaches and outline measures to prevent future violations. All submissions also had to include an exit plan, a new obligation applying across the board.
The plan requires operators to describe how they would responsibly wind down their operations if their licence was not renewed or was revoked, or if they decided to leave the market during the five-year period between renewals.
The KSA said several operators received “additional points for attention”, indicating that these applicants met the minimum legal thresholds but that the regulator expected continuous improvements in compliance practices.
In June, TOTO Online was reported for violating the ban on featuring role models in advertising materials. The platform was also fined in 2022 for a similar issue involving gambling advertisements that were seemingly aimed at young people.