79 operators express interest in Dutch online gambling license

The Netherlands’ gambling regulator has received 79 expressions of interest from companies seeking the country’s new online gambling licenses.

On Monday, the Kansspeautoriteit (KSA) regulatory body announced that 79 parties had filled out the online form indicating their eagerness to receive one of the new Dutch online gambling permits. The KSA has established a June 21 deadline for companies to make their intentions known.

The KSA didn’t disclose the names of the 79 early birds, although numerous members of the industry’s familiar face brigade have publicly stated their intention to apply. The KSA has already announced that it won’t be accepting actual applications until July 1, 2020 and the new regulated market isn’t likely to commence until January 1, 2021 at the earliest.

Among the prospective applicants will be Holland Casino, the state-run land-based casino monopoly whose privatization was scrapped last month when Dutch politicians decided they already had too much on their plate crafting the nuts and bolts of online gambling regulation.