International brands received licenses

💡 In brief, in essence: bet365 is a licensed operator of KSA since the start of the market on October 1, 2021. PokerStars - as of the date of publication (autumn 2025) is not in the KSA registry: the brand left the market, received a fine before launching KoA and, according to open data, is only preparing to return. Always use the official KSA registry to check status.

1) bet365: legal launch with the market

What happened: On October 1, 2021, the Netherlands opened a regulated online market (KoA). Among the first 10 KSA licenses are bet365 (including Holland Casino Online, TOTO, etc.). This was confirmed by industry summaries at launch.

What it means to the player: domain. nl, localized conditions, full compliance with RG requirements (CRUKS check, limits, warnings), transparent payments. The validity of the license can be checked in the KSA registry.

2) PokerStars: Out of KSA register, but preparations for return possible

Background: Prior to the launch of KoA, PokerStars received a KSA fine for operating without a local license (2019). After the start of regulation, the brand did not enter the first wave of legal operators.

Status 2023-2024: profile publications noted that the return was postponed several times; in 2023, the application was reportedly withdrawn, and in 2024, sources wrote that the return did not take place.

Signals 2025: publications appeared in industry media about the preparation of PokerStars to return to the Netherlands market (tests of the Dutch client/local stack). This is not tantamount to a license - check the current status in the KSA registry.

3) How to check your license yourself

Go to the official Kansspelautoriteit website and open the Register of licensees: enter the company/brand name, domain or license number. Only an entry in this register means legal admission to the market.

4) Context: other international brands

For comparison: Unibet (Kindred Group) received the KSA license on June 8, 2022 and launched under Unibet. nl is an example of an international brand returning already in white status.

5) What's important for players and businesses to remember

To players

Play only with operators from the KSA registry: this guarantees CRUKS verification, self-control tools and regulated payments.

Operators/Affiliates

Brand mention without actual license = risk of sanctions. Any marketing materials must be based on a verifiable status in the KSA registry and comply with target/frequency rules.

6) FAQ

Question: "If the news says that PokerStars is preparing for a relay, is it possible to play already?"

Answer: No. Until the brand appeared on the KSA registry, it is not a licensed operator in the Netherlands. Only check official records.

Question: "Can bet365 have limits/penalties?"

Answer: Yes, KSA regularly checks all operators and fines for violations (for example, advertising/behavioral). This is a normal part of supervision that does not cancel the very fact of the license.

Inference.

The wording "international brands received licenses" is only partially correct: bet365 - yes, legal since 01. 10. 2021; PokerStars is not (as of publication date), although there are signs of preparations for a comeback. Always rely on the official KSA register and do not confuse news about plans with the fact of the issued license.