Hard Rock Casino NL has secured regulatory approval to add sports betting to its Dutch online casino offering, although a launch date for the sportsbook has yet to be confirmed.
Hard Rock Casino NL is preparing to enter the Netherlands’ online sports betting segment after the Dutch Gambling Authority, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), approved an extension to its existing licence.
The approval, effective from 12 October 2026, allows iCasino B.V., the company operating Hard Rock Casino NL, to add online sports betting to its existing casino offering. The business forms part of SpinCore Group, which announced the regulatory development earlier this week.
The expansion represents the next stage in the brand’s Dutch operations, which began with its online casino launch in July 2024.
However, regulatory approval does not mean the sportsbook is already available. SpinCore Group has indicated that further work remains before the product goes live, and no confirmed launch date has been announced.
Altenar Expected to Supply Sportsbook Technology
Hard Rock Casino NL is expected to use sportsbook technology from Altenar, according to reporting by Dutch industry publication CasinoNieuws.nl.
The supplier already provides sportsbook technology to operators in the Dutch market, meaning Hard Rock Casino NL’s planned launch would add another operator using an established platform rather than introduce a new technology provider to the country.
Further details about the planned sportsbook, including its final product features, launch schedule and commercial positioning, have yet to be confirmed publicly.
A Competitive Market for New Sportsbooks
Hard Rock Casino NL’s planned expansion comes at a challenging time for licensed online gambling operators in the Netherlands.
The market has attracted established international brands and locally recognised operators, while regulatory changes and taxation have placed greater emphasis on the commercial sustainability of licensed operations.
In its spring 2026 market monitoring report, the KSA said growth in the legal online gambling market had stagnated. Gross gaming result for the second half of 2025 stood at €602 million, broadly unchanged from the previous six-month period. The regulator also estimated that legal operators accounted for 53% of gambling expenditure, highlighting the continuing challenge of directing spending towards the regulated market.
Taxation is another consideration. The Dutch gambling tax rate increased to 37.8% on 1 January 2026, adding to the cost pressures faced by licensed operators.
These conditions mean that securing a licence is only one part of the challenge for a new sportsbook. Operators must also establish a competitive product, attract customers within the applicable regulatory framework and build a sustainable position in an established market.
From Online Casino to Sports Betting
Hard Rock Casino NL entered the Dutch online gambling market in July 2024 with its casino product. The addition of sports betting would broaden its offering and give the operator an opportunity to compete across another major online gambling category.
For SpinCore Group, the expansion provides an opportunity to develop the brand beyond casino gaming. Its commercial impact, however, will depend on the eventual launch, the sportsbook experience offered to customers and the operator’s ability to compete under Dutch market conditions.
With regulatory approval now secured, the next milestone is the sportsbook’s public launch. Until a date and further product details are confirmed, the scale of the planned expansion remains to be seen.
