Seemingly undeterred by regulatory and taxation headwinds in the Netherlands, Hard Rock Casino has announced its expansion into sports betting.
SpinCore Group, the Malta-headquartered business that operates the Hard Rock Casino brand, announced on LinkedIn today that it has received regulatory approval to launch a sports betting product by the Dutch gambling authority, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
The KSA’s approval was granted to the locally registered company which operates the Hard Rock Casino NL domain, iCasion BV. The sports betting approval is effective from 12 September.
“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,” SpinCore’s statement read.
“Behind this achievement lies an incredible amount of hard work, determination and teamwork.”
Hard Rock Casino is a purely Netherlands-focused platform, and neither it or nor the SpinCore Group have any association with the Hard Rock Digital international betting and gaming brand run by the Hard Rock International conglomerate.
Dutch betting between a Rock and a Hard place
The KSA’s approval of Hard Rock’s expansion in the Netherlands adds another betting company to the firm’s already packed market, and comes shortly after the regulator began approving renewals of operator licences held since 2021.
In early September, the KSA approved the licences held by TOTO Online, Holland Casino, Play North, FairPlay Casino, Bingoal, bet365, BetCity, GG Poker and BetCity.
The KSA is undoubtedly committed to maintaining the sustainability and longevity of the Dutch betting market, but is also acutely aware of the challenges facing it – namely a staggering loss in channelisation to offshore betting firms, with 2025 estimates putting the channelisation rate at 49%.
Battling the black market has become a cause celebre for regulated Dutch platforms. VNLOK, the biggest trade body for regulated Dutch betting firms, has even resorted to legal action, summoning social media giant Meta to court over the proliferation of illegal gambling advertising on its platforms.
On the topic of advertising, the black market isn’t the only challenge facing the regulated industry in 2026. Policymakers are moving to implement a full ban on gambling advertising, meaning Hard Rock Casino is likely going to have a tough time promoting its new sports betting product fairly soon.
Making matters more difficult is a tax rate of 38.7% on gross gaming revenue (GGR), a rate which many operators and the abovementioned VNLOK believe has put the regulated market at a significant disadvantage to its unregulated counterparts.
