Holland Casino has secured a new five-year licence for its online gambling business in the Netherlands, allowing the state-owned operator to remain active in the regulated digital market beyond the expiry of its original permit.
The renewed licence will take effect on 1 October 2026 and will cover another five-year period. Holland Casino confirmed the decision on Thursday, saying the approval enables its online division to continue operating under the supervision of the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
Holland Casino was among the operators licensed when the Netherlands launched its regulated online gambling market in October 2021. Its original KSA authorisation runs from 1 October 2021 through 30 September 2026 and permits the company to offer online casino games, peer-to-peer casino products and sports betting.
The renewal therefore provides regulatory certainty for Holland Casino Online until 2031.
Chief executive Petra de Ruiter said the company intends to continue prioritising player protection and responsible gambling while maintaining an online product capable of competing with unlicensed operators. Holland Casino has argued that regulated companies need sufficient room to remain attractive to consumers if Dutch policy is to successfully channel players towards supervised gambling platforms.
The licence extension arrives during a difficult financial and regulatory period for the Dutch gambling sector.
The Netherlands increased its gambling tax rate from 30.5% to 34.2% at the beginning of 2025 before raising it again to 37.8% from 1 January 2026. The Dutch government introduced the increases as part of its wider fiscal programme.
Holland Casino has repeatedly identified the higher rate as a significant pressure on its business. Its 2025 annual report showed that the company paid €251.8 million in gambling tax during the year, with the first stage of the tax increase adding €28.9 million to its tax bill.
Despite those pressures, Holland Casino returned to profitability in 2025. It reported a €28.4 million profit after tax, compared with a €10.4 million loss in 2024. Gross revenue increased from €768.5 million to €799.9 million.
Its online operation moved in the opposite direction, however. Online revenue declined to €60.5 million in 2025 from €85.2 million a year earlier. Holland Casino said online revenue subsequently stabilised following the introduction of new player limits in October 2024, while lower operating costs helped the digital division absorb part of the decline.
The wider impact of higher gambling taxation is also being monitored by the KSA. In a June 2026 assessment, the regulator estimated that the tax increase would generate around €138 million in additional gambling-tax revenue for the government in 2026. However, it warned that the overall benefit to state finances would be reduced because state-owned gambling businesses such as Holland Casino and Nederlandse Loterij are expected to contribute less through corporation tax and dividends as their costs rise.
Holland Casino Online has also faced regulatory intervention during its current licence period. In April 2026, the KSA told Holland Casino and Vbet to stop offering bets on own goals, which the regulator regards as prohibited because of the increased match-fixing risk. Both operators removed the markets and introduced additional controls, after which the KSA closed the matter without further action.
With its renewed licence now secured, Holland Casino will remain one of the established operators in the Dutch regulated online market as the sector adapts to heavier taxation, tighter player-protection requirements and continuing pressure from unlicensed gambling websites.