Nederlandse Loterij reports GGR increase despite decline in wagers ...and more!

Hommerson Online acquires sports betting license

Hommerson Online has acquired a remote betting license from the Netherlands Gambling Authority in addition to its existing online casino license. At present, it is unclear when the operator intends to launch its betting offer. 

Hommerson first acquired its online casino license in October 2023. The operator went live in February 2024. 

Bragg reports 7.1% Q1 revenue rise, despite “challenging” Dutch market

Platform and content provider Bragg Gaming Group, a major player in the Dutch market, has reported a 7.1% growth in Q1 revenue – despite a 19% y-o-y decrease in revenues generated in the Netherlands. 

Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg, commented: “As is widely reported, the Netherlands market has slowed in recent quarters due to regulatory pressures, a challenge faced by Bragg as with all operators and suppliers who serve this regulated market. I’m pleased that Bragg has shown resilience under these pressures and is reducing its exposure to the Netherlands [...]. Excluding the Netherlands, revenue growth year-over-year came in at a robust 27%¹, driven in part by triple-digit growth in the U.S.”

In related news, Mazij has been confirmed to speak at next month's Gaming in Holland Conference, where he and other CEOs will discuss the operational and business challenges facing operators and their suppliers in the regulated Dutch market. 

Unlicensed operator N1 Interactive withdraws two additional brands from the Dutch market

Malta-based online operator N1 Interactive Limited is withdrawing its brands Spinia and Mason Slots from the Dutch market. Last month, the operator closed its Dreamz and CrazyFox sites to customers based in the Netherlands. 

In the past, N1 Interactive received several major fines from the Netherlands Gambling Authorityfor offering online gambling in the country without a license. 

It is presently unclear whether N1 Interactive, which operates dozens of gambling websites, has decided to withdraw from the Dutch market in full. 

Dutch government rejects proposals for differentiated gambling tax rates

State Secretary for Tax Affairs, the Tax Administration, and Customs, Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen has informed the Dutch Lower House that the introduction of a separate (i.e., lower) tax rate for gambling products with mandatory remittances to good causes and sports would be generally undesirable or even counterproductive. 

Van Oostenbruggen's findings increase the chance that the gambling tax rate will not be increased to 37.8% in 2026, as originally planned, due to the political sensitivity of lower remittances to sports and good causes, which would be the almost unavoidable result of further tax hikes. 

Last chance: Vote now for the Dutch Online Casino of the Year Awards

Voting for the Dutch Online Casino of the Year Awards is about to close soon!

With 27 operators nominated across nine categories, it promises to be a very exciting contest.

Let your voice be heard and don't forget to vote! 

Please note that the award ceremony of the Dutch Online Casino of the Year Awards takes place during the Gaming in Holland networking drinks, part of the program of the annual Gaming in Holland Conference on June 5, 2025. 

GiH Conference visitors are all cordially invited to attend the festivities!

Upcoming events

Gaming in Holland Conference

As always, the Gaming in Holland Conference returns to Amsterdam this summer. The 2025 edition of his event will take place June 5, 2025, at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute.

Our latest confirmed speaker is Christian Heins, Director iGaming at Tipico, who will present some of the steps that licensed operators can take to help fight illegal competition.

Also, don't miss our pre-conference program on June 4, which includes training sessions (generously provided by Chevron Consultants) on internal audits and establishing a learning culture, as well as beer & “bitterballen” at Café Rijnbar.

Don't miss it! Register today: https://bit.ly/GiHC2025.

Gaming in Spain Conference

Join us on June 26 in Madrid for the 2025 Gaming in Spain Conference.

The event will feature a keynote speech by Mikel Arana, Director General of Spain's national gambling regulator, DGOJ.

Besides focusing on the Spanish market, the 2025 GiS Conference will also feature several sessions dedicated to the latest developments in the most important LatAm markets. 

We are very happy to announce that Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Bets, at the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, has agreed to discuss the present state of Brazil's gambling regulatory framework.

Don't miss it! Register today: https://bit.ly/GiSC2025.

Other events

• SBC Summit Malta, the newly rebranded continuation to CasinoBeats Summit, will take place June 10-12, 2025, at the InterContinental in St Julian’s.

• iGB L!ve returns to ExCel London on July 2-3, 2025. Registration is now open!

Nederlandse Loterij reports GGR increase despite decline in wagers

In its latest annual report, Nederlandse Loterij reported a 7.8% increase in GGR to €724m, despite a 5.2% fall in total wagers (€6,067m), which the operator attributes to the introduction of online deposit limits in October 2024. 

The 5.2% decline in total wagers was offset, however, by a 6.8% decline in the amount paid out in prizes (€5,358m). Total remittances (to the Dutch state, sports, and good causes) increased by 3.8% to €203.6m.

In the accompanying press release, the operator called on the government to reconsider the proposed increase in the gambling tax rate to 37.8% of GGR from 2026 onward, in order tosafeguard Nederlandse Loterij's future contributions to sports and good causes. 

In the same press release, Nederlandse Loterij's CEO, Arjan Blok also called on the government to leave the door open for future privatization of the state-owned operator, following last week's decision to put the proposed sale of the company on hold. 

Arjan Blok will also be the keynote speaker at next month's Gaming in Holland Conference. Don't miss it!