The Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) confirmed the measures in the Official Gazette on 2 September, with the rules scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2026.
The move comes in preparation for the expiry of current five-year licences, first issued in September 2021 and due to end on 1 October 2026.
Under the revised framework, any operator seeking a licence will be required to submit a comprehensive exit plan detailing how they intend to leave the market if their authorisation is terminated.
The exit plans must address several areas: legal and financial obligations, organisational and technical processes, and communication measures.
One key requirement is that operators demonstrate how they will ensure customer payouts are handled efficiently in the event of withdrawal.
This step reflects the KSA’s intent to protect consumers while maintaining market order during potential operator exits.
The regulator has also tightened its reliability assessment for applicants. Operators with a history of failing to comply with Dutch court rulings will face increased scrutiny and may be deemed unsuitable for licensing.
In addition, licence renewal applicants will need to show compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) standards and duty of care obligations, two areas the Dutch regulator has consistently highlighted as central to its supervision strategy.
The KSA stated that the fixed five-year licence term was chosen deliberately, enabling the authority to use supervisory experience gained during the initial period when evaluating follow-up applications.
Should operators’ explanations be deemed insufficient, the KSA will reserve the right to deny renewal or impose additional conditions.
New gambling minister comes aboard
These regulatory updates unfold against a backdrop of heightened political instability in the Netherlands. On 22 August, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned, setting off a cascade of nine further ministerial and state secretary resignations.
Among those stepping down was Teun Struycken, who had responsibility for gambling oversight as State Secretary for Legal Protection.
The resignations were largely in protest against the government’s stance on sanctions against Israel in relation to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Struycken’s departure temporarily raised doubts about the continuity of planned gambling reforms.
However, as reported by political media outlet Parlement, the government has since appointed former VVD Member of Parliament Arno Rutte as the new State Secretary for Legal Protection.
Rutte’s appointment restores leadership over gambling regulatory affairs, although the political context remains uncertain.
The broader instability stems from the collapse of the governing coalition earlier this summer.
On 3 June, Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), withdrew from the four-party coalition, effectively toppling the government.
With a snap election scheduled for 29 October, the regulatory landscape faces the challenge of maintaining continuity in gambling oversight reforms amid turbulence in the political sphere.
Dingnews.com 05/09/2025