On Thursday, the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA) announced the renewal of eight online gambling licenses as part of its five-year renewal plan. These renewed licenses allow operators to legally continue their activities in the Netherlands from October 1, 2026, until September 30, 2031.
This marks the first instance of license renewals since the online market opened in 2021, providing insights into how many operators have chosen to remain in the competitive landscape.
The licenses issued in 2021 will expire at the end of September 2026, requiring all current licensees to submit applications for the subsequent five-year term.
The renewed licenses have been granted to the following operators: TOTO Online BV, known for its brands TOTO and Winnitt; Holland Casino NV, which operates Holland Casino Online; Play North Limited, owner of Kansino; FPO Nederland BV, recognized for FairPlay Casino; Bingoal Nederland BV; Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc, which runs Bet365; NSUS Malta Limited, known for GG Poker; and Betent BV, operating Betcity.
This group represents a combination of local and international operators, but it is notable that none of the newly licensed operators are entering the market. Notably, both LiveScore and Tombola, part of the initial ten operators licensed, exited the market in 2024.
The KSA has revised its approach to the license renewal process, adopting a more detailed and stringent framework compared to the 2021 licensing round. This tightening of oversight was anticipated following policy changes announced by the KSA in September 2025.
One new stipulation requires licensees with prior compliance issues to clarify how they have addressed past mistakes and outline strategies to prevent them from recurring during the application process. The KSA stated, "providers that made mistakes in the past five years must explain… If we find this explanation insufficient, the permit may be denied or additional conditions and restrictions may be imposed."
While some operators expressed apprehension over potential barriers to renewal, the KSA reassured licensees that they were not implementing overly strict rules. Bjorn Fuchs, chairman of VNLOK, noted that attendees of a recent meeting felt relieved after hearing this clarification. Subsequently, a more structured renewal framework emerged instead of a broad crackdown.
Fuchs remarked, "If you [as an operator] have a clean sheet, there are some hoops, but for various modules, you can just send a declaration which states that you’re compliant." He acknowledged that although the new rules could add complexity, particularly with the introduction of an 'exit plan' requirement and clearer duty-of-care definitions, they also aimed to simplify operational burdens.
According to the KSA, applicants are now required to outline the actions taken to rectify previous violations and detail preventive measures against future breaches. A newly introduced necessity mandates that submissions include an exit plan, which aims to ensure an orderly withdrawal from the market if a license is not renewed or is revoked. This also applies when operators choose to exit the market before the five-year renewal period.
The regulator highlighted that some operators received 'additional points for attention' indicating that while applicants met the essential legal criteria, the KSA anticipated ongoing improvements in compliance practices.
TOTO Online BV notably faced scrutiny for disregarding the ban on using role models in advertisements this past June. This incident follows a previous fine from the KSA in 2022 for promoting gambling advertisements that seemingly targeted young audiences.
