First Dutch iGaming Licence Renewals Begin as 2021 Permits Reach Expiry

The Netherlands' regulated online gambling market is entering its first full licence renewal cycle, with five-year permits issued at the October 2021 market launch beginning to run out on 1 October 2026. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has already renewed state-controlled Holland Casino's licence, and Bingoal and TOTO Online — operated by Nederlandse Loterij — have confirmed they secured new five-year terms starting the same date.

Holland Casino said on 6 August 2026 that the regulator had extended its online licence by five years. Chief executive Petra de Ruiter said player protection "always comes first," but stressed that the regulated market must remain attractive enough to keep players away from unregulated providers. Under the Remote Gambling Act (Koa), a renewal signals the KSA is satisfied that the operator continues to meet obligations including connection to the Cruks self-exclusion register and compliance with deposit, advertising and duty-of-care requirements.

Other launch-era operators are approaching the same deadline. BetCity, bet365, Kansino and Fair Play all have licences expiring on 1 October. Operators that entered later have more time: Jacks.nl's permit runs until 20 November, Unibet's until 8 June 2027 — reflecting the cooling-off period enforced for operators with previous grey-market activity — and OneCasino's until 5 October 2027.

Regulatory tightening and tax pressure

The first licence cycle has coincided with a period of stricter regulation. The Netherlands banned gambling advertising using role models in July 2022, banned untargeted gambling ads a year later, and has since moved to ban sports sponsorship. The role-model measure covers influencers, celebrities and well-known athletes. The KSA last week called out BetCity and TOTO Winkel for breaching those advertising rules.

The tax burden has also increased. The rate on gross gaming revenue rose to 34.2% in January 2025 and to 37.8% in January 2026, with operators and the KSA noting that tax revenue actually declined after the hike. Renewal decisions are expected case by case over the coming year, set against a broader review of Dutch gambling policy; operators have cautioned that overly strict player-protection limits could drive customers toward unregulated offshore sites.