Holland Casino Online secures five-year licence renewal amid tax and channelisation debate

Holland Casino Online has been granted a five-year extension to its Dutch remote gambling licence by the Netherlands Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA), allowing the state-owned operator to remain in the regulated market from 1 October 2026 until at least 2031. The regulator announced the decision on Thursday, with Holland Casino framing the renewal as an endorsement of its approach to safe and responsible play.

Holland Casino, wholly owned by the Dutch state, launched its online arm when the regulated market opened on 1 October 2021 under the Remote Gambling Act. As one of the first operators licensed in the Netherlands, its renewal sets an early marker for how the KSA will handle the coming wave of expiring five-year licences. The operator can continue offering online casino and betting products under KSA supervision, subject to conditions covering advertising, deposit limits, and player monitoring.

Tax pressure and channelisation

The renewal arrives as Holland Casino continues to absorb the impact of higher Dutch gambling taxes. The gross gaming revenue (GGR) tax rate rose to 34.2% in January 2025 and reached 37.8% this year. Holland Casino was among the first operators to object, attributing €13.5 million in additional costs during the first half of 2025 to the initial increase. After ruling out privatisation last year, the government said it would work with the operator to address the effects of the tax hike, which the Ministry of Finance projected would generate an additional €200 million per year between 2025 and 2028.

Chief executive Petra de Ruiter said Holland Casino would continue to commit to a safe and responsible online offering with player protection first. "At the same time, it remains essential that the regulated market is attractive enough to keep players away from unregulated providers," she added. That message reflects broader industry concerns that tighter rules and measures such as deposit limits could push Dutch players toward offshore sites outside the regulator's reach.

The renewal also lands as the Dutch government continues its wider review of gambling policy, with operators and trade bodies pressing for a framework that strengthens the legal market. The KSA has separately been addressing enforcement issues around the near-total advertising ban introduced in June, including accusations that Betcity and TOTO Winkel breached rules on role models in gambling advertising.

Outlook for the next renewal round

Holland Casino said it would keep working with the KSA, the government, and other parties to build what it called a safe, responsible, and future-proof gambling market. With more of the original 2021 licences due for renewal in the coming months, the terms imposed on those operators will indicate how the regulator intends to balance a competitive regulated offering against its player-protection goals.