Dutch Gambling Regulator Sets Stricter Licence Renewal Rules

The Dutch gambling market is preparing for its first major licence renewal cycle, and the rules are about to get stricter. Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ gambling authority, confirmed that operators seeking to continue offering online betting and casino services after 2026 will face tighter requirements designed to boost oversight and consumer protection.

Good to Know

• The new rules take effect January 1, 2026, ahead of the first licence expirations in October that year.
• Operators must submit detailed “exit plans” and compliance documents when reapplying.
• Track records from the first five-year licence period will heavily influence renewal outcomes.

The KSA has outlined a new framework for all operators reapplying for Dutch licences. A key addition is the requirement for an “exit plan” — a document detailing how a company would wind down operations if its licence is not renewed. This plan must explain how customers would be protected during withdrawal from the market.

In addition, applicants must file risk assessments under the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (WWFT) and show how they intend to keep regulators updated on major business changes. Any operator with compliance breaches in the first five years will need to prove lessons were learned and provide concrete measures to prevent repeat violations.

The regulator was blunt in its message:

“Providers that made mistakes in the past five years must explain during the application process how they have learned from previous mistakes and how they intend to prevent recurrence. If we find this explanation insufficient, the permit may be denied or additional conditions and restrictions may be imposed.”

Unlike new applicants, renewal candidates will also be reassessed on player protection standards, advertising policies, and required to complete another integration test of the control database (CDB). Operators who failed to comply with court rulings or breached conditions may find their applications denied outright.

Recent enforcement actions show the KSA is already tightening its grip. Unibet received a penalty order of up to €450,000 for breaching bonus advertising rules, while agencies promoting unlicensed sites were warned of possible referral to consumer protection authorities like ACM and SRC.

Industry groups warn that heavy restrictions could drive players into the illegal market, which still accounts for more than half of Dutch online gambling revenue. “Official figures show that only 49% of online gambling revenue goes to licensed operators, meaning the majority flows into unregulated, illegal channels,” said Peter-Paul de Goeij, founder of the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA).

The KSA, however, has been clear about its stance. It has already banned sports sponsorships by gambling firms and restricted advertising, stating:

“Active promotion aimed at this vulnerable target group is therefore very harmful.”

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