Ksa opens 2027–2032 Dutch land-based horse betting licence tender

The Netherlands' Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) has announced that a public procedure to award the exclusive land-based totalisator horse-betting licence will begin in January 2027, according to the regulator. The licence, known as the totalisatorvergunning, will run for five years from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032 and will be granted to a single operator under the national monopoly regime.

The current authorisation, held by ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland B.V., expires on 30 June 2027. The Ksa has set the timetable and rules for the new award so that the regulated offering continues without interruption, with applications open in January.

The licence covers only horse-race betting through the totalisator system, also called pari-mutuel or pool betting, in which stakes are pooled and winnings are set by the distribution of amounts staked. It is limited to land-based operations, including betting at racecourses and physical agencies. Online gambling is excluded from the concession and falls under the separate Dutch remote-gambling licensing regime.

The licence holder must pay the Dutch horse-racing sector 10% of monthly gross gaming revenue generated by bets placed that month on trotting races and other horse competitions organised in the Netherlands.

Selection has two stages. In the first, the Ksa will assess all applications against requirements on corporate structure, organisational and financial soundness and the ability to meet regulatory obligations. The criteria include the company's legal form and seat, business continuity, internal control systems, the reliability of those involved, integrity policies, management of outsourced activities and incident-handling procedures.

The Ksa will also examine measures to prevent excessive gambling, addiction and gambling-related harm, and steps to stop minors from taking part. Applicants must show adequate policies against match fixing and proven experience in offering sports betting through land-based channels.

The second stage applies only if more than one applicant passes the requirements check. In that case the concessionaire will be chosen by an unweighted lottery drawn by a notary, with no weighting or scoring between admitted operators, giving all who pass the first stage the same chance of being awarded the single available authorisation.

Each applicant must pay a fee of €40,900 to cover assessment costs. It is payable in advance and is non-refundable whatever the outcome of the application. Applications may be submitted from 4 to 31 January 2027.

The Ksa expects to publish all the necessary documentation on its website in December 2026, including the application form and the draft of the new licence.