KSA sets January deadline for Dutch horse racing betting monopoly tender

On Wednesday, the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) announced that it will open the application window in January 2027 for a single statutory totalisator licence.

The licence will grant the exclusive right to offer land-based pool betting on horse racing events in the Netherlands for a five-year term. It will span from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032.

A monopoly licence

Under Dutch law, the totalisator licence operates as a monopoly. KSA only legally permits one operator to provide pool betting services on horse and trotting race results at racetracks and physical betting outlets across the country. 

The licensing regime excludes online horse racing betting, which continues to be regulated separately under the remote gambling framework established by the 2021 Gambling Act.

The current licence holder, ZEbetting & Gaming Nederland, holds the permit that will expire on 30 June 2027. KSA has confirmed that the application process for the new term will be transparent and competitive. The regulator is expected to make submission details and the application form available on the KSA website as early as December 2026. 

The application window will officially open on 4 January 2027 and close on 31 January 2027. Applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of €40,900 ($45,567) upfront.

A two stage process

The tender process will unfold in two stages:

The first will be the initial assessment. KSA will evaluate submissions against statutory and public interest criteria covering areas such as corporate structure and establishment, operational continuity and internal supervisory mechanisms. It also covers integrity and reliability, outsourcing policies and incident-response management. 

Key responsibilities include the implementation of measures to prevent excessive gambling, addiction and underage betting. 

A specific prerequisite is demonstrable experience in providing offline sports betting services, emphasising the need for established operational capability. Additionally, applicants must outline their strategies for preventing match-fixing, reflecting the regulator’s focus on integrity.

The second stage is a lottery draw. Should multiple applicants successfully pass the first stage, a winner will be determined by an unweighted draw conducted under notarial supervision. This will guarantee impartiality.

Renewal of licences

The licence mandates explicit financial support to the equestrian sector. Licence holders must allocate 10% of their monthly gross gaming revenue generated from bets on Dutch horse and trotting races to support the sport and its infrastructure. 

ZEbetting & Gaming is part of the French Zebet/Zeturf business and is also active in France, Belgium and Malta.

The operator had its totalisator licence renewed in 2022 following KSA’s last awarding procedure. The tender has not altered its application progress by much in four years, however the processing fee has risen by 27.8% from €32,000.