The Dutch Gaming Authority (Ksa) has approved the first eight follow-on licences for operators in the Netherlands’ regulated online gambling market, allowing them to continue serving customers for another five years.
The new licences take effect on 1 October 2026 and run until 30 September 2031. They follow the first remote gambling licences issued when the Netherlands opened its regulated online market on 1 October 2021. Those initial five-year permits expire on 30 September.
The approved operators are TOTO Online B.V., Holland Casino N.V., Play North Limited, FPO Nederland B.V., Bingoal Nederland B.V., Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc, NSUS Malta Limited and Betent B.V. Their brands include TOTO and Winnitt, Holland Casino Online, Kansino, FairPlay Casino, Bingoal, Bet365, GG Poker and Betcity.
Ksa Puts Greater Focus On Compliance History
The renewal process gave the Ksa a longer record to examine than it had when the market first opened. For follow-on applications, the regulator explicitly considers violations that have been definitively established during the previous five years.
Applicants also had to explain how they addressed earlier breaches and what steps they had taken to stop similar violations from happening again.
The regulator said that several operators received “additional points for attention” following its assessment. It did not disclose which companies received those observations or provide further details about them.
Despite those findings, the Ksa confirmed that all eight applicants satisfied the requirements for a new licence. The approvals therefore allow the operators to remain active in the regulated Dutch online gambling market during the second five-year licensing period.
The latest decisions also represent the first follow-on approvals for operators that have completed the initial five-year licensing cycle. The regulator can now assess established operators using information gathered during their first period of activity, including their compliance records.
New Licences Follow Updated Regulatory Framework
The Ksa revised its remote gambling licensing rulesfrom 1 January 2026, ahead of the expiry of the first licences. The updated framework applies additional requirements to applicants seeking to continue operating under a new term.
Among those requirements is a document explaining how operators will keep the regulator informed about significant changes to their policies or business operations. Applicants must also provide an exit plan setting out how their gambling activities would be wound down if their licence ends.
The Ksa said the revised rules provide a framework for operators applying for follow-on licences as the initial five-year permits approach their expiry.
The first eight approvals cover operators whose original licences were due to expire at the end of September. Other licensed companies will reach the end of their initial terms at different points, meaning further follow-on licensing decisions will follow as those applications are assessed.
For the eight operators already approved, the new permits provide regulatory continuity from October 2026 through September 2031, while the Ksa’s assessment process places compliance history more explicitly within the licensing review.
Source:
“First follow-up licenses for online gambling granted“, kansspelautoriteit.nl, September 17, 2026
