Seventy-nine operators register interest in Dutch egaming licences
Regulator readies licensing process and regulations ahead of projected market launch in 2021
Seventy-nine egaming operators have registered their interest in obtaining an online gambling licence in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA).
The names of the interested parties were not revealed by the KSA, but the likes of bet365, Kindred Group, Betsson and GVC Holdings have all previously indicated they would look to apply for a Dutch licence.
It follows the KSA’s statement that the Dutch Remote Gaming bill would enter into force on 1 July 2020, with the KSA claiming that regulated operations would begin in January 2021.
Last month, the KSA invited egaming operators to register their interest to estimate the demand for licences and whether additional resources would be required in the licensing process.
Operators now have until 21 June to register their interest.
Rene Jansen, chair of the KSA
Rene Jansen, KSA chairman, said the decision to solicit interest from operators prior to commencing licensing would ultimately mean a “smooth process” for operators.
“If we know how many applications we can expect, we can organize the organisation accordingly. That is in our interest, but also in that of the applicants,” Jansen added.
However there still has been no mention of the licensing process for those operators who have been previously sanctioned by the KSA for providing unlicensed egaming to Dutch players.
Under the terms of the Remote Gaming Bill, operators who have been previously sanctioned would be subject to a two-year “cooling-off” period in which they would be unable to apply for a Dutch licence.
During this two-year period, sanctioned operators must not actively target Dutch citizens and must demonstrate their reliability before they can submit an application.