KSA Introduces New Rules for Online Gambling Licence Applications from 2026 : PMPMedia.io

By Arijit Roul - 4 Sep, 2025 More about the author

The Dutch regulator is now changing its licensing policy before the first renewals start.

Key Points

New licensing rules begin on 1 January 2026.
Exit plan and risk analysis as per WWFT are required from all applicants.
Renewals for existing operators get a separate review process.

Following the new rules, each applicant must meet extra demands. Operators should add documents explaining how they will keep the regulator updated if main business or policy changes occur. Their files must also give an “exit plan” that describes what steps they follow if KSA does not renew the permit and gambling activities need to stop. Operators with current Dutch licences go through their own renewal method instead. KSA will check again on player protection, marketing and advertising rules, plus run a new integration test for the control database (CDB).

Renewal and Compliance Standards

Past mistakes from five years before, including any rule breaches, must be explained and proof is needed to show how they have fixed these issues to stop them from happening again. If KSA finds the explanations or actions not enough, stricter conditions might follow, or renewal could be refused. Unibet has just got a KSA penalty order reaching €450,000 ($524,000) after breaking rules for bonus adverts.

Renewal and Compliance Standards

Talking about reliability, KSA says that if an operator does not follow court rulings during the application, then that operator is seen as untrustworthy and might lose their chance for approval. Applicants also need to submit a risk analysis as laid out in the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (WWFT).