Betsson Abruptly Cancels License Application in the Netherlands

Betsson Group, a Swedish iGaming company, has pulled out of its application to secure an operator license in the Netherlands, citing "significant delays" in the procedure. The company has been applying for a permit to launch its mobile casino in the Netherlands through its subsidiaries. However, the operator said it had withdrawn the application in its second-quarter report.

Betsson also considered resource allocation issues and an "attractive" project pipeline in other markets. But Dutch players can be hopeful because the company could submit a new license application in the future.

Betsson is not a new name in the Netherlands. The operator had initially operated its mobile casino app in the country for around two years. However, Betsson exited the market in September 2021, just a day before the country relaunched its new iGaming market.

The company was among the many operators who left the Dutch iGaming market. This was after a late regulatory update clarified that approved operators were still subject to a "cooling-off period". Betsson hoped its exit would make entering the country's legal market easier.

It's an open secret that the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) often takes disciplinary action against mobile casino apps without a license. The regulator considers any past disciplinary action before approving any license applications.

LeoVegas Secures a 5-Year License in the Netherlands

In other operator news, LeoVegas Group, a popular mobile casino operator, has received a new license in the Netherlands to relaunch its operations. It's worth noting that both LeoVegas and Betsson AB announced their exit from the market at the same time in 2021.

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) license will be valid for five years, covering the operator's 21 Heads Up Limited operations. Following the accreditation, Leo Vegas will offer the following services in the Netherlands:

• Sports betting
• Mobile casino
• Live casino

Speaking after the two-year absence, Gustaf Hagman, LeoVegas's chief executive, said:

"LeoVegas Group has been granted a gaming license in the rapidly growing Dutch market. We are thrilled to look to the future and fully focus on resuming our Dutch journey. The Netherlands has great potential and we look forward to it becoming an important market in our global growth journey."