Dutch horse betting monopoly opens to fresh competition
The winner will gain exclusive rights to land-based horse race pool betting while helping fund the Dutch equestrian sector.
Key takeaways:
- The KSA will open applications for the Dutch totalisator licence on January 4, 2027.
- The licence grants exclusive rights to land-based horse racing pool betting until June 30, 2032.
- Applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of €40,900.
- Operators must demonstrate safer gambling, integrity and match-fixing prevention measures.
- The winning bidder must contribute 10 per cent of gross gaming revenue from Dutch horse races to support the equestrian sector.
The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has confirmed that applications for the Netherlands’ next exclusive horse racing betting licence will open in January 2027, launching a competitive process for one of the country’s few remaining gambling monopolies. The successful applicant will secure sole rights to offer land-based totalisator betting on horse and trotting races for five years, while also taking on obligations to support the Dutch racing industry. With the current licence held by ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland due to expire, the tender could determine whether a new operator enters the market.
The Netherlands.- The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has confirmed that applications for the Netherlands’ next exclusive horse racing betting licence will open in January 2027. The opening of the application window will begin the process to award a monopoly permit covering land-based pool betting for the next five years.
The licence will grant a single operator the right to offer totalisator betting on horse and trotting races from July 1 2027 until June 30 2032. Under Dutch gambling legislation, only one company is permitted to provide pool betting services. The current licence is held by ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland, whose existing authorisation expires on June 30 2027.
The totalisator framework applies exclusively to land-based betting activities at racetracks and physical betting locations, while online horse racing betting remains regulated separately under the country’s remote gambling regime introduced in 2021. The KSA stated that the forthcoming award process will be conducted through a transparent and competitive procedure.
The regulator plans to publish application documents and submission requirements on its website in December. The application period will then run from January 4 to 31 2027. Prospective applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of €40,900, an increase of almost 28 per cent from the €32,000 charged during the previous licensing round.
KSA has outlined a two-stage selection process for determining the next licence holder. The first stage will involve assessing applications against a range of statutory and public-interest requirements. Areas under review will include corporate structure, business establishment, operational continuity, governance arrangements and internal supervision mechanisms. Applicants will also need to demonstrate standards relating to integrity, reliability, outsourcing controls and incident management procedures.
Bidders will need to outline measures designed to prevent excessive gambling, addiction and underage betting. They will also need to demonstrate experience in providing offline sports betting services and present plans for preventing match-fixing. If more than one applicant successfully passes this assessment stage, the licensing process will move to a second phase consisting of a lottery draw. The winner would then be selected through an unweighted draw conducted under notarial supervision to ensure impartiality.
The licence also carries obligations to support the Dutch equestrian sector. The winning applicant will have to allocate 10 per cent of monthly gross gaming revenue generated from wagers on Dutch horse and trotting races towards funding the sport and its infrastructure.
Current licence holder ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland is part of the French group Zebet/Zeturf group, which also operates in France, Belgium and Malta. The company retained the Dutch totalisator licence following the previous award process in 2022 but may face renewed competition in the new application window.
FAQs
What is the Dutch totalisator licence?
The totalisator licence grants one operator exclusive rights to offer land-based pool betting on horse and trotting races in the Netherlands.
When can operators apply for the licence?
The application window will run from January 4, 2027, to January 31, 2027, with documentation expected to be published beforehand.
How will the KSA choose the winning applicant?
Applications will first be assessed against regulatory and public-interest criteria. If multiple applicants qualify, the winner will be selected through a notarially supervised lottery draw.
What obligations come with the licence?
The licence holder must implement safer gambling controls, anti-match-fixing measures and contribute 10 per cent of monthly gross gaming revenue from Dutch horse race betting to the equestrian sector.
