Dutch gambling regulator de Kansspelautoriteit has revealed that Holland Casino and bet365 are among the ten Dutch online casino operators that will be allowed to launch their products from October 1st.
The ten operators to receive licensing approval are:
- Fair Play Online
- GGPoker
- Batavia Casino
- bingo ball
- BetCity.nl
- TOTO
- Holland Casino
- Tombola
- bet365
- LiveScore Bet
Since the Netherlands’ Remote Gambling Act came into effect in April of this year, online casino operators have been allowed to apply for a license with those operators who had previously operated unlicensed in the Dutch market also encouraged to apply.
In a statement released following the announcement of the successful operators, Fair Play Online stated:
“We are proud to be among the first group of providers for the Dutch online gambling market. Since 2001 we have lobbied for regulation through a licensing system that would benefit both providers and consumers alike. The process of drafting the Remote Gambling Act was a long one, but today we – and very soon Dutch consumers – are reaping the benefits.”
Major land-based operator Holland Casino also released a statement saying:
“Together with online gaming software company Playtech, we have developed a wide range of online games including Live Casino, Sports Betting, Slots, and Poker. We will continue to develop further games and hope to include Online Bingo in the near future.”
De Kansspelautoriteit had previously stated that it had received a total of 29 license applications from both local and international gambling operators. The current batch of licenses issued include five for Dutch companies.
Big names that have been omitted at this point include Zeturf, Jack’s Casino, Polder Casino and the Vriendenloterij (Dutch lottery).
According to research, it is estimated that as many as 1.5 million people are gambling online in the Netherlands giving the market an approximate value of €800 million.
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.