LeoVegas Group is expected to resume its online activities in the Dutch market after obtaining a new license in the country
Issued by the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the license will be valid for a period of five years.
The license covers the operator’s 21 Heads Up Limited business and applies to online casinos, live casinos and sports betting.
Furthermore, LeoVegas said it plans to launch its services in the country during the second half of this year.
“LeoVegas Group has been awarded a gaming license in the fast-growing Dutch market,” said LeoVegas Chief Executive Gustaf Hagman.
“We are excited to look to the future and focus fully on resuming our Dutch journey.”
“The Netherlands has great potential and we expect it to become an important market on our global growth journey.”
LeoVegas returns after two years
LeoVegas already operated in the Netherlands before the country began to regulate its online betting market.
The regulated online marketplace was launched on October 1, 2021. Thus paving the way for players to gamble legally online.
One day before the market opened, LeoVegas announced that it would stop activities in the country. After all, the decision was taken with a view to securing a Dutch gaming license.
Operators caught offering unlicensed gaming services faced disciplinary action from the KSA.
This, in turn, could affect any future license applications to legally operate in the market.
Betsson chose to end operations in the Netherlands
While LeoVegas looks ready to return to the Netherlands, one operator that won’t be seen in the country for a while is Betsson.
The company revealed in its second-quarter results that it had withdrawn its application for the Dutch license.
The operator said this was due to “significant delays” in the approval process.
The operator has been inactive in the Netherlands for almost two years. Thus, Betsson left the country in September 2021, the day before the launch of the country’s regulated iGaming market – at the same time as LeoVegas.
Several other betting brands have followed a similar path by withdrawing, re-applying for a license and then re-entering the market.
Entain and Kindred obtained licenses last year after leaving the country before the terms of the regulation took effect.
However, the license took longer for LeoVegas than initially anticipated.
In August 2022, the operator said it hoped to be active again in the Netherlands later that year.
Speaking at the time, LeoVegas CEO Gustaf Hagman said the company had applied for a license in the country.
