On Wednesday, the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) announced that it will open the application window for a single statutory totalisator licence in January 2027. This licence will provide the exclusive right to offer land-based pool betting on horse racing events in the Netherlands for five years, starting from 1 July 2027 and ending on 30 June 2032.
In accordance with Dutch law, this totalisator licence acts as a monopoly, allowing only one operator to offer pool betting services on the results of horse and trotting races at racetracks and physical betting outlets nationwide. Online horse racing betting remains under a separate regulatory framework defined by the remote gambling guidelines of the 2021 Gambling Act.
Currently, ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland holds the licence, which is set to expire on 30 June 2027. KSA has promised that the upcoming application process will be transparent and competitive. Details on how to apply, along with the application form, are expected to be published on the KSA website as early as December 2026.
The application window will officially commence on 4 January 2027 and will close on 31 January 2027. Candidates planning to apply must pay a non-refundable processing fee of €40,900 (equivalent to about $45,567) upfront.
The tender process will unfold in two stages. The first stage will involve an initial assessment where KSA will evaluate applications based on statutory and public interest criteria, including corporate structure, operational continuity, and internal supervisory mechanisms. Integrity and reliability, outsourcing policies, and incident-response management will also be assessed, with a focus on implementing measures to prevent excessive gambling, addiction, and underage betting. Applicants must demonstrate previous experience in providing offline sports betting services and outline strategies to combat match-fixing, emphasizing the regulator’s commitment to integrity.
The second stage will consist of a lottery draw. If multiple applicants pass the initial assessment, a winner will be selected through an unweighted draw overseen by a notary to ensure impartiality.
The licence mandates that holders provide financial support to the equestrian sector, requiring them to allocate 10% of their monthly gross gaming revenue from bets on Dutch horse and trotting races to support the sport and its infrastructure.
ZEbetting & Gaming is part of the French Zebet/Zeturf enterprise and operates not only in the Netherlands but also in France, Belgium, and Malta. The operator had its totalisator licence renewed in 2022 during KSA’s last awarding procedure. Despite not significantly changing the application process in four years, the processing fee has increased by 27.8%, rising from €32,000.
