KSA Issues First Eight Online Licence Renewals
The Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, or KSA) has issued the first eight follow-up licences to online gambling operators in the Netherlands, according to the regulator's own announcement.
The original 2021 licences expire at the end of September 2026, and the renewals cover the period from October 2026 through September 2031.
The eight operators granted follow-up licences are TOTO Online B.V. (TOTO and Winnitt), Holland Casino N.V. (Holland Casino Online), Play North Limited (Kansino), FPO Nederland B.V. (FairPlay Casino), Bingoal Nederland B.V. (Bingoal), Hillside (New Media Malta) Plc (Bet365), NSUS Malta Limited (GG Poker), and Betent B.V. (Betcity).
The KSA said all eight met the requirements to hold a licence and can continue operating in the Dutch online market for the next five years.
First Renewal Round Since The 2021 Market Launch
This is the first time licences have come up for renewal since the Netherlands' regulated online market launched in 2021, meaning the final list of renewed operators offers an early signal of how many licence holders intend to stay in the market long-term.
Applicants faced tighter scrutiny of any compliance issues recorded during the first five years, part of a broader push by the KSA to hold online sports gambling operators to a higher bar at renewal than at initial licensing.
Tougher Rules Took Effect From January 2026
The KSA tightened its licensing policy rules from January 1, 2026 to govern this first renewal round, requiring all applicants to submit a plan for informing the regulator of major business changes and, for the first time, an exit plan describing how they would wind down their offering if a licence lapsed.
Operators also had to submit a money-laundering risk analysis, and any unresolved Dutch court judgments against an applicant would count against their reliability assessment.
Renewal applicants specifically had their addiction-prevention policies and marketing practices re-assessed, alongside a fresh integration test of their mandatory player-tracking database connection, according to the KSA's policy update.
