The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa) has granted Lotto B.V. three new monopoly licenses for five years, securing the continuation of Lotto, Eurojackpot, Lucky Day, Krasloten and TOTO Winkel from January 1, 2027, although an ongoing legal battle before the Council of State (Raad van State) threatens the future of the single-operator system.
The decision, announced on September 11, 2026, covers lotto games, instant lotteries —scratch cards— and land-based sports betting. The current licenses, granted on November 23, 2021, expire on December 31, 2026. Lotto B.V., based in Rijswijk and controlled by Nederlandse Loterij, will therefore retain these operations during the 2027-2031 licensing cycle.
The legal front remains open. JVH Venture II B.V. and JVH Venture IV B.V., based in ’s-Hertogenbosch, applied for licenses to compete, but the Ksa rejected them on January 4, 2022, under Articles 14b, 16 and 27b of the Dutch Gambling Act (Wet op de kansspelen), which allow only one authorization in each segment. The District Court of Oost-Brabant overturned that decision on February 29, 2024, finding that the system could breach the freedom to provide services under Article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The Ksa and Lotto appealed, and the Raad van State suspended the ruling on April 19, 2024, pending a final decision on the merits. The regulator acknowledged that it would have preferred to wait for that judgment, but renewed the licenses to prevent an interruption of the legal market after December 2026.
The dispute affects a sizeable market. The Netherlands recorded approximately €4.3 billion in GGR in 2024, while major lotteries generated €2.42 billion in sales, up from €2.33 billion in 2023. Nederlandse Loterij contributed €200.6 million to the State, sport and social organizations in 2025, including €126.4 million to the Dutch State, €53.8 million to NOC*NSF and sports federations, and €20.4 million to 18 charitable organizations. As of September 2026, the Ksa is chaired by Michel Groothuizen, with Carol Verheij as vice-chair and Wiebe Ruttenberg responsible for Digital Transformation.
