Netherlands awards 11th online gambling licence
After becoming regulated in September, the Dutch online gambling market has witnessed steady growth.
With 10 initial licenses granted; four of these being to Dutch operators, the official gambling Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has applied a cautious and rigorous approach to its approval process.
Although they are believed to be considering in excess of 10 proposals to enter the market, the KSA have announced that they have approved an 11th license for the market.
JVH Gaming group joins list of approved operators
The latest company to be given access to the ever progressive Dutch market is the JVH Gaming and Entertainment Group.
Terms of the license indicate that it will be given to JOI Gaming, which is an entity of the land-based casino JVH, with JOI providing online gambling via its Jacks.nl site.
The JVH Group has a significant presence in the Netherlands with well over 80 land-based casinos under its ownership.
They include the prominent Jacks Casino, Flamingo Casino and Flash Casino brands, all of which are particularly popular with the Dutch market.
What will be interesting is whether JVH will do anything different to try and attract new customers to their online brands. In line with the strict code of conduct, how they advertise and market is very strict, in terms of how they can word certain promotions. This could well be a case of trial and error.
Strict regulation in place
Following the passing of the bill that legislated online gambling for the Dutch market, the KSA have not been shy in determining tough legislation.
It has since seen a number of notable online operator brands block Dutch players from accessing their sites, due to fear of being slapped with penalties.
These have included Entain, Kindred Group and 888 Holdings each of which has a number of prominent brands under their umbrella.
However, it has since seen some of these brands apply for a Dutch license, particularly Entain, though it remains to be seen when or indeed, if these will be granted.
The KSA are already starting to get a reputation for being one of the toughest regulators in the industry, even on par with the UKGC.
Undoubtedly, they have one of the strictest approval processes, with the KSA taking a tough stance on responsible gambling.
It is the sterling reputation in the Dutch market over the years of the JVH Group that no doubt swayed the decision for the KSA, with the Dutch organisation boasting an impeccable record.
Their Kambi-powered Jacks Casino and Sportsbook has become a notable brand in the Netherlands and has steadily built up a strong reputation.