The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has announced that in January 2027, it will open the application period for a single statutory totalisator licence. This licence will give one operator exclusive rights to provide land-based pool betting on horse racing events throughout the Netherlands. The licence will be valid for a term of five years, starting from 1 July 2027 and concluding on 30 June 2032.
As mandated by Dutch law, the totalisator licence operates under a monopoly, with only one entity allowed to offer pool betting services on outcomes of horse and trotting races at racetracks and physical betting shops nationwide. It is important to note that online horse racing betting falls under separate regulations established by the 2021 Gambling Act.
Currently, ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland holds the existing licence, which is set to expire on 30 June 2027. The KSA has committed to ensuring that the forthcoming application process is transparent and competitive. Interested parties can expect details about the submission process and application form to be released on the KSA website around December 2026.
The application window will be open from 4 January 2027 until 31 January 2027. To apply, candidates must pay a non-refundable processing fee of €40,900 ($45,567).
The tender process will consist of two stages. The first stage entails an initial assessment where KSA officials will review applications against statutory and public interest standards that include the applicant’s corporate structure, operational continuity, internal supervisory practices, as well as integrity, reliability, and incident-response measures. This stage will also require licence holders to demonstrate the ability to implement measures to combat problem gambling, addiction, and underage betting.
A prerequisite for applicants is that they have significant experience in providing offline sports betting services, emphasizing the necessity of operational expertise. Additionally, they must provide their strategies for preventing match-fixing, which highlights the regulator's concern for maintaining integrity in the sector.
The second stage of the tender will involve a lottery. If multiple applicants are successful in the first stage, a winner will be selected randomly in a draw supervised by a notary to ensure fairness in the selection process.
The eventual licence will also require the operator to financially support the equestrian sector, obligating them to allocate 10% of their monthly gross gaming revenue from bets on Dutch horse and trotting races to bolster the sport and its infrastructure.
ZEbetting & Gaming is part of the French business Zebet/Zeturf and also operates in countries like France, Belgium, and Malta. It secured its current totalisator licence during a renewal in 2022 after the last awarding process by KSA. The previous application cycle hasn't changed significantly over the last four years, although it is worth noting that the processing fee increased by 27.8% from €32,000.
