More companies interested in Dutch online licences

KSA, the Dutch regulator, has revealed that 183 companies have notified their interest in an online gambling licence.

Netherlands.- The gambling authority from the Netherlands, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has reported that it received 183 notifications from companies interested in submitting an application to offer online gambling services in the country.

On Monday, June 17, the number of companies interested in an online gambling licence for the Dutch market was 79. On Thursday, June 20, the number of companies increased to 125, and just one day later it rose to 183.

More than half of the companies (89) are foreign, while 83 already have an online gambling licence in another country. Moreover, 74 of them already offer physical games of chance.

Despite the high number of companies that are interested in licences, the KSA said that not all of them will receive a permit, as strict requirements have been set. Applicants are tested for reliability and integrity, there are financial requirements and other conditions that include addiction prevention.

Current regulations, adopted on February 19, 2019, establish that it is not possible to apply for a licence to offer online games of chance, though online gambling is legalised. The new law is set to change this. The Ministry of Justice and Security is currently drafting the law into so-called lower regulations. When that process is finalised, the gambling regulator can start setting permit conditions.

If the Netherlands manages to process permit applications from July 1, 2020, there is a big chance that the online gambling market can be fully operational by the first day of 2021, René Jansen, chairman of the regulator said.