Hard Rock Casino set for sports betting in Netherlands
Hard Rock Casino Netherlands has received regulatory approval to expand into sports betting in the Netherlands, adding a sportsbook to its existing online casino offering.
The approval was confirmed on October 12 by Malta-based SpinCore Group, which operates the Dutch-facing gambling brand through locally registered company iCasion BV.
The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), approved the operator’s sports betting activities effective September 12, although the company only publicly announced the expansion this week.
SpinCore said the authorisation would allow the business to provide a broader gambling offering to Dutch customers.
“This marks another exciting chapter in the journey of Hard Rock Casino Netherlands and represents an important step forward in our ambition to deliver an even more complete online gaming experience,” the company said.
The operator’s expansion comes during a difficult period for the Dutch regulated gambling industry, which is facing higher taxation, stricter advertising requirements and increasing competition from unlicensed online casinos and betting sites.
The Netherlands increased its gambling tax to 38.7% of gross gaming revenue in 2026, while policymakers are considering further restrictions on gambling advertising.
Regulators have also raised concerns about the proportion of gambling revenue flowing to illegal operators, with estimates suggesting that licensed companies accounted for less than half of online gambling revenue during 2025.
The KSA has recently begun renewing licences originally issued when the Netherlands opened its regulated online gambling market in October 2021.
The Hard Rock Casino Netherlands operation is separate from Hard Rock Digital, which operates the international Hard Rock Bet brand.
