Dutch igaming cooling-off period to end April 1

The Dutch gaming regulator KSA has reminded operators that the Netherlands’ cooling-off period for operators that were active in the country before regulation has just one month left to run.

The Netherlands.- The gambling regulator De Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has reminded gaming operators that the Netherlands’ cooling-off period imposed ahead of the launch of regulated online gambling will come to an end on April 1.

Under the Netherlands’ remote gambling legislation, the cooling off period required operators who were active in the Netherlands before the regulation of online gambling to wait two years and nine months to demonstrate they weren’t offering gambling without a licence.

That meant that only operators that did not accept Dutch customers in the two years before the market launched could apply for licences.

Regulated online gambling went live in the Netherlands on October 2 with 10 licensees. Since then another five online gambling licences have been granted by the KSA.

Several major gaming operators that did not initially apply for Dutch gambling licences, including Betsson, Entain, Kindred, 888 and LeoVegas, blocked Dutch players when the regulated market went live as they prepared to submit licence applications following the cooling-off period.

From April 1, KSA will review new applications to ensure the applicant has not offered unlicensed gambling during the cooling off period. The cooling-off period will no longer be in effect but KSA has said it will take account of unlicensed activity from up to eight years previous.

Focusgn