VBET, BetConstruct’s flagship B2C brand, is ready to power up its presence in the Dutch online gambling market in 2026 and beyond.
Speaking to SBC News, VBET identified the Netherlands as one of its key growth markets in Europe, underpinned by an expanded product portfolio, a localisation strategy and a long-term commitment to regulatory compliance.
VBET secured its licence in April 2023 under the Netherlands’ Remote Gambling Act (KOA), the framework that has governed the country’s regulated online gambling market since its launch on 1 October 2021.
The approval marked a significant milestone in BetConstruct’s international expansion strategy, becoming VBET’s 10th online gambling licence in Europe.
The Netherlands remains one of the most challenging regulated gambling markets in Western Europe. Operators face a combination of high taxation, stringent player protection measures and increasingly demanding compliance obligations.
As of 2026, online gambling is subject to a base tax rate of 37.8%, while the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) regulatory authority has built a reputation for strict enforcement of customer care duties, player targeting restrictions, responsible gambling controls and data-led monitoring systems.
Breaches have resulted in substantial financial penalties for operators.
Soft launch for hard marketplace
Despite these challenges, VBET views the Dutch market as a significant commercial opportunity.
Having initially launched its sportsbook proposition, the operator expanded its offering in April 2026 through the soft launch of online casino and live casino products, enabling the brand to compete across multiple verticals in one of Europe’s hardest online gambling jurisdictions.
Early performance indicators suggest that the expanded proposition is already reshaping VBET.nl’s customer base. Since January, the brand has recorded a 32.61% increase in active users, while retention has improved by 18.5%, equivalent to an 11.4 percentage-point uplift.
Customer lifetime has also increased by 12.32% over the same period, pointing to stronger engagement beyond initial acquisition. The shift has been particularly visible in product usage, with casino-only players rising from 36.6% to 58.07% of the audience, while sports-only players have fallen from 58.16% to 36.45%.
At the same time, the mixed sportsbook-and-casino audience has increased its share by 3.79%, supporting VBET’s wider ambitions.
VBET attributes this momentum to a more structured and data-led approach to customer engagement. Since the start of the year, the brand has refined its communications cadence, introduced automated lifecycle journeys and developed more targeted audience segments to improve relevance across the player base. I
ts local strategy has also placed greater emphasis on culturally relevant sporting moments, local events and tailored engagement campaigns, while ensuring that both sportsbook and casino and operate as part of a connected customer experience rather than as separate vertical initiatives.
The operator said this more disciplined use of data has helped guide campaign planning, promotional activity and product development decisions as it scales its Dutch proposition.
The operator’s expansion comes at a pivotal moment for Dutch gambling.
While the KOA framework opened the market to licensed competition, the Tweede Kamer (legislature) is preparing a significant overhaul of gambling legislation amid growing concerns over gambling-related harm and the effectiveness of current consumer protection measures.
The review is being led by State Secretary for Legal Protection, Claudia van Bruggen, whose proposals place player protection at the centre of future reforms.
Measures under consideration include a total ban on online gambling advertising, the removal of bonuses and free-bet incentives for new customers, the introduction of an overarching deposit limit across licensed operators, further enhancements to the CRUKS self-exclusion register and tougher enforcement against illegal gambling activity.
Against this backdrop, VBET believes its focus on sustainable growth, technical compliance and customer care positions the brand strongly for the next phase of Dutch market development.
A key pillar of the operator’s strategy is engaging with the Netherlands’ diverse population. VBET has highlighted multicultural communities, including Dutch citizens of Turkish and Moroccan heritage, as important audience segments.
The company aims to support these groups through localised content, relevant sporting markets and tailored customer engagement initiatives that reflect the country’s increasingly diverse consumer landscape.
Oranje momentum
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is a major opportunity to showcase that strategy in action.
Alongside traditional sportsbook markets, VBET.nl has launched a dedicated World Cup portal featuring boosted odds, outright winner markets and tournament-specific promotions designed to increase engagement throughout the competition.
Among the initiatives introduced for the tournament are the Champions Challenge €10,000 (£8,600) prediction game, the Subsafe feature that protects certain player markets when selected players are substituted, and a series of gamification tools including Magic Ball, Daily Missions and the VBET Winner Spinner.
The operator has also sought to strengthen links between its sportsbook and casino products. Through the World Cup Casino Wheel promotion, players can earn casino rewards by correctly predicting match outcomes, reflecting a broader strategy to connect football engagement with its newly launched casino offering.
A spokesperson for VBET.nl told SBC News: “Our strategy in the Netherlands is built around sustainable growth, technical compliance and a customer-friendly product experience.
“World Cup 2026 is an important moment for VBET.nl because it allows us to bring together sportsbook innovation, localised engagement and our expanding casino proposition in a way that is relevant for Dutch players and aligned with local market expectations.”
As competition intensifies and Dutch lawmakers consider a new phase of gambling reforms, VBET believes that long-term success will depend not only on product innovation but also on maintaining customer trust and adapting to evolving regulatory requirements.
How VBET navigates a stricter regulatory environment while broadening its appeal to Dutch consumers could prove critical to the brand’s next stage of European expansion.
