KSA introduces new licence for skill-based gaming machines
Table of contents
- Netherlands Gambling Authority announces limited operating licence exclusively for skill-based machine operators
- New licence features streamlined approval process for machines paying no cash prizes
- Skill machines defined as devices where outcomes depend entirely on player ability rather than chance
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, KSA) has announced plans to introduce a new limited operating licence exclusively for operators of skill-based gaming machines, responding to industry demand for a simplified regulatory pathway.
The regulator will offer this targeted licence option alongside its broader reforms to the exploitation licensing framework for land-based gaming establishments. Currently, only one type of operating licence exists for gaming machines, covering both chance-based gambling machines and skill-based devices.
Industry-driven licensing reform
The KSA confirmed it is responding to requests from operators who exclusively run skill-based machines and have indicated they would prefer a separate licence from traditional gambling machine permits. The limited licence can be processed more quickly thanks to a streamlined procedure.
“Operators who exclusively operate skill-based gaming machines have indicated their desire for a separate licence, distinct from the one for gambling machines,” the regulator stated.
Defining skill-based devices
A skill-based gaming machine is defined as a device that does not award cash prizes except in the form of extra or extended games, where outcomes depend entirely or nearly entirely on player skill. These machines, known in Dutch as “behendigheidsautomaten,” differ from gambling machines because progression relies primarily on player ability rather than luck.
Classic examples include pinball machines where players can earn extra balls based on performance. Any gaming machine that does not fit the skill-based definition is automatically considered a gambling machine under Dutch law.
The new licence category forms part of broader regulatory changes the KSA is implementing for land-based gaming operations. The regulator is also preparing to introduce fixed-term permits rather than indefinite licensing as part of its modernisation efforts.
This development reflects the authority’s evolving approach to market regulation as it adapts oversight mechanisms to different operator business models within the Dutch gambling sector.
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