The Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has announced that it has thus far received 28 gaming license applications from operators who are seeking to offer online games of chance via various websites, in advance of the country’s regulation of the iGaming industry.

The Remote Gambling Act (KOA) that came into effect on 1st April 2021 is the law that legalizes online gambling under strict conditions, after which 28 gaming operators submitted license applications, at a cost of €48,000 ($58,000) for the license. The KSA has confirmed that all the 28 applicants have already paid the fee.

It will now be necessary for the applications of these operators to be analyzed and if approved, they will be able to offer their services to Dutch punters as from 1st October 2021.

Companies will be assessed by the Dutch gambling regulator on a number of factors which includes an acceptable policy to prevent gambling addiction, whether it is a healthy company that handles player balances responsibly and if it has a connection to the Central Register of Exclusion of Gambling, among a few other issues.

Rene Jansen, the Chairman at KSA, commented on the license applications by saying that the intention of the law is to channel players from illegal providers to legal providers.

Jansen went on to say that with this number of applications, he is quite confident that there will soon be a sufficiently attractive and varied offer to achieve this objective.

It is now yet known which operators have applied for the licenses.