Hard Rock launches Dutch sports betting despite 38.7% tax

Hard Rock Casino NL has launched sports betting in the Netherlands, entering a market already squeezed by tax & a looming ad ban.

The hit

Hard Rock Casino has approval to launch sports betting in the Netherlands, according to SpinCore Group, the Malta-based operator behind the brand. The Dutch gambling authority, the Kansspelautoriteit, approved the product for iCasion BV, the locally registered company running Hard Rock Casino NL. Hard Rock Casino NL & SpinCore have no association with Hard Rock Digital, the brand run by Hard Rock International.

Why it matters

The launch comes as Dutch regulated operators face a tax on gross gaming revenue & a looming full ban on gambling advertising. VNLOK, the industry’s main trade body, believes the tax puts the regulated market at a significant disadvantage to unregulated rivals. The ad ban is likely to make it harder for operators to promote products like Hard Rock’s new sportsbook. The KSA is also grappling with channelisation losses to offshore betting firms.

The record

Approval effective date	12 September (Kansspelautoriteit)
Gross gaming revenue tax rate	38.7% (Netherlands)
Channelisation rate to licensed operators	49% (2025 estimate)
Other licences renewed in early September	TOTO Online, Holland Casino, Play North, FairPlay Casino, Bingoal, bet365, BetCity, GG Poker (Kansspelautoriteit)

What happens next

Watch VNLOK’s legal action against Meta over illegal gambling advertising, & the progress of the Netherlands’ proposed full ban on gambling ads.

Sources: Hard Rock Casino makes Dutch online betting debut

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