Lotto BV Retains Dutch Monopoly Licences as Legal Appeal Continues

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Altay Celikkaya

Content Manager

Updated: 16/09/26

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has awarded Lotto BV three new monopoly licences covering lottery games, instant lotteries and land-based sports betting in the Netherlands. The five-year permits will replace the operator’s existing licences when they expire on 31 December 2026 and allow operations to continue through 2031.

The decision provides Lotto BV with near-term operational certainty, but the underlying monopoly framework remains subject to an appeal before the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State. Depending on the outcome, the Dutch licensing structure could eventually be opened to other applicants or require a new allocation process.

Lotto and Kansspelautoriteit logos displayed alongside the Dutch flag on an Ace Alliance-style blue background.

Regulation & Compliance

Key Takeaways From Lotto BV’s Five-Year Licence Renewal

Lotto BV has received three new five-year monopoly licences covering lottery games, scratch cards and land-based sports betting.
The licences provide continuity from 1 January 2027 through the end of 2031.
A Council of State appeal is still examining the legal basis for continuing the monopoly system.
Other operators could become eligible to apply if the system is required to open to competition.
Lotto BV’s permits could be withdrawn if private allocation is ultimately found impermissible.
Any withdrawal would take effect no earlier than one year after the Council of State judgment.
Changes to Lotto BV’s ownership or control could trigger a fresh regulatory assessment.

KSA Moves Ahead Before Council of State Decision

The KSA would have preferred to wait for the Council of State ruling before issuing another round of monopoly licences. However, the approaching expiry of the existing permits meant a decision was needed to prevent uncertainty over the legal supply of the affected gambling products.

In its official announcement, the KSA said in translation:

It was necessary to make a decision now.

The renewal allows lottery games, instant lotteries and land-based sports betting to continue legally after 31 December 2026 while giving Lotto BV sufficient certainty to plan its operations.

The dispute forms part of wider scrutiny of how exclusive gambling rights are allocated in the Netherlands. A previous EU court dispute over Dutch betting and lottery licensing has already placed the relationship between exclusive licences and European law under closer examination.

Appeal Leaves Multiple Licensing Outcomes Open

The licence renewal does not guarantee that the existing structure will remain unchanged for the full five-year period.

According to the KSA, one possible outcome is that the monopoly system may need to open to competition. In that scenario, Lotto BV could retain its existing licences while additional companies become eligible to apply.

A different ruling could prevent the licences from continuing under the current private allocation model. The permits could then be withdrawn, although any revocation would take effect no earlier than one year after the Council of State judgment. This transition period would allow the regulator to prepare a transparent allocation procedure.

The three licences were awarded privately because of Lotto BV’s position as a state-owned enterprise and the level of government control over the company. That status is particularly relevant because the Dutch government has previously kept the national lottery under state ownership.

The new permits also require Lotto BV to notify the regulator about proposed changes to its ownership or control structure. A future privatisation would therefore trigger another KSA assessment to determine whether the monopoly licences could remain in place.

New Licence Conditions Raise Player Protection Requirements

The renewed permits introduce updated conditions aimed at protecting players and preventing participation by minors. The requirements continue a broader move towards tighter safeguards across Dutch gambling regulation.

The three licences concern land-based monopoly activities. The KSA’s previous monopoly licence framework confirms that lotto, instant lottery and land-based sports betting are separate monopoly categories under the Dutch system.

They should not be confused with competitive remote gambling licences. Holland Casino, for example, recently secured a new Dutch online gambling licence through 2031 under the country’s remote gambling regime.

TOTO Online’s sportsbook and online casino similarly operate under a separate remote gambling licence and are not covered by the three monopoly decisions.

For Lotto BV, the immediate outcome is continuity beyond the end of 2026. For the wider Dutch market, the Council of State decision remains the more consequential development, as it could determine whether the current exclusive model survives intact or gives way to a broader licensing process.