Belgian gambling operator Starcasino receives Dutch online license
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18 Oct 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes The Belgian Starcasino has finally received its license for the Netherlands. This means that they will soon be allowed to offer legal gambling in the country. When exactly will they go online? That remains to be seen, but preparations are in full swing. The company is already a major player in Belgium and Spain.
Starcasino becomes the 32nd legal provider in the Netherlands
The Dutch gambling market has a new face. Starcasino joins 31 other parties that are allowed to offer legal gambling here. Although 32 licenses have been issued, there are currently 25 providers live. Starcasino is ready to join them soon.
The Belgian company, founded in 2015, has already made quite a few miles in the online gambling world, so they know what is involved in such a launch. But when exactly? That remains exciting for a while.
Kylian Olierook at the helm of Starcasino Netherlands
The man who will lead the Dutch operation of Starcasino, Kylian Olierook, is certainly no stranger to the gambling world. Before he came to Starcasino, he worked at BetCity, one of the first gambling sites to be licensed in the Netherlands. BetCity quickly made a name for itself in the Netherlands, but also came under fire.
For example, the parent company was fined no less than 3 million euros for violating anti-money laundering regulations. And as if that wasn’t enough, BetCity was also sued by Entain, the British gambling company that had acquired BetCity for more than 300 million euros. However, that lawsuit did not stop the acquisition, because it simply went ahead.
Sports betting also part of Starcasino’s plans
Despite that baggage, Olierook is confident about the future of Starcasino in the Netherlands.
“We have already gained a lot of experience in Spain and Belgium. And now we really want to create something special in the Netherlands. With our own platform, we can offer something unique and above all responsible.”
Starcasino will not only offer online casino games in the Netherlands. They have also been granted a license to offer sports betting. This means that soon you will not only be able to play slot machines and live casino games, but also bet on sports events. In Belgium, they work together with big names such as Evolution and Pragmatic Play, so it could well be that we will also see them here in the Netherlands.
From Belgian arcades to Dutch living rooms
Starcasino started its adventure in Belgium and is not only active online, but also physically. They have a casino in Chaudfontaine, near Liège, and arcades in major cities such as Antwerp and Brussels. It is a major Belgian brand that is now also expanding internationally, but despite the name, the company has no links with other big names such as PokerStars or the Australian The Star Casino.
Incidentally, Starcasino is not the only Belgian player that is becoming active in the Netherlands. Gambling sites such as 711, 777 and Bingoal also have their roots in Belgium. It seems that our compatriots are finding the Dutch gambling market more and more interesting.