THE NETHERLANDS’ GAMBLING REGULATOR THE KANSPEELAUTORITEIT (KSA) HAS ANNOUNCED A SIGNIFICANT TIGHTENING OF THE RULES FOR ONLINE GAMBLING LICENCES.
Taking effect from the 1st of January 2026 the new regulations are designed to prepare the market for the expiry of the first five-year licences which were granted in September 2021 and are due to end in October 2026.
The move’s stated aim is to increase compliance and player protection.
All operators seeking a licence in the Dutch market must now submit additional documentation. This includes a clear plan detailing how they will inform the regulator of material changes to their policies or business operations. A key new requirement is the so-called ‘exit plan’ which must explain how the business would cease gambling activities and withdraw from the Netherlands if a licence is not renewed. Applicants must also provide a risk analysis under the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (WWFT). Notably any operator who has failed to comply with enforceable court rulings will be deemed unreliable and may have their licence application rejected.
For those already operating in the Dutch market a separate application process for a follow-up licence has been introduced. This procedure will involve a reassessment of player protection measures, advertising policies and a new integration test for the control database (CDB). The KSA has made it clear that any breaches or shortcomings over the past five years must be explained by operators who must provide evidence of how they have learned from their mistakes to prevent recurrence. The regulator stated that if this explanation is found to be insufficient the permit may be denied or additional conditions imposed. This new approach follows the Dutch legislature’s decision to issue five-year licences specifically to allow the regulator to review an operator’s track record when they apply for renewal.
The Dutch online gambling market which legalised on 1 October 2021 has faced significant challenges with attracting players away from the growing illegal market. A full ban on sports sponsorship by gambling companies was introduced earlier this year in an effort to combat this, covering athletes teams competitions and shirts. The KSA has said that public displays of gambling sponsorship have now almost completely disappeared. However industry experts remain concerned about the continued appeal of illegal operators. Peter-Paul de Goeij founder of the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) has stated that only 49% of online gambling revenue goes to licensed operators meaning the majority flows into unregulated channels. He notes that deposit limits and advertising restrictions are also seen as factors pushing players toward illegal sites.
The regulator is also now targeting the promotion of illegal gambling through media outlets. The KSA has received reports of news articles encouraging players to gamble at sites not registered with ‘Cruks’, the national self-exclusion register. In response the authority plans to monitor the entire marketing chain including agencies that provide paid promotional content for illegal operators. These agencies may be reported to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Advertising Code Foundation (SRC).
As the first five-year licences near expiry operators are preparing to submit renewal applications under the new rules. The KSA’s updated licensing framework underscores a firm focus on compliance transparency and consumer protection. It reflects the lessons learned from the first years of the legal market. Operators wishing to remain active in the Netherlands will need to demonstrate operational integrity, adherence to advertising rules and an effective exit strategy. Failure to meet these new stringent requirements could result in a licence denial or the imposition of strict additional conditions.
