The Dutch Gambling Authority received 28 license applications

28 operators have applied for gambling licenses in the Netherlands, the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has confirmed.

The portal for applying for Dutch licenses opened earlier this month following the entry into force of the Remote Gaming Act.

However, the submission of applications was delayed due to a technical glitch on the portal on the first day, which has since been corrected.

The names of operators submitting applications have not been confirmed by the KSA.

KSA Chairman René Jansen said he was satisfied with the number of applications received since the opening of the licensing procedure.

“The purpose of the law is to direct players away from illegal providers to legally reliable providers,” Jansen said.

“With so many applications, I’m sure there will soon be a sufficiently attractive and diverse offer to achieve this goal,” he added.

Operators applying to the KSA must pay a registration fee of EUR 48,000.

The volume of applications was slightly less than KSA's initial estimates released in March, which suggested that 35 licenses would be issued by the authorities, a three-quarters decrease from the 125 interest rates received by the regulator in October 2020.

The potentially high tax rate applicable to online operators and strict regulatory standards are believed to cause many operators to avoid filing.

Operators licensed in the Netherlands will be subject to a tax rate of 29% on their respective gross gambling income, one of the highest tax rates in Europe, as well as a 1,75% problem gambling levy.

Operators such as Entain, Kindred Group, Betsson and 888 are expected to enter the Dutch market.

The Dutch market will officially open in October 2021.