Holland Casino formally began construction of its new Groningen casino on 30 October, marking the next step toward a permanent venue after its previous site was destroyed by fire in 2017.
The operator held a ceremony at Businesspark Ter Borch with employees, construction partners and representatives of Tynaarlo municipality.
The site, selected in 2023, is beside the A7 road and serves Groningen, Drenthe and surrounding areas. Holland Casino CEO Petra de Ruiter and Tynaarlo mayor Marcel Thijsen attended the start of construction.
The operator has not announced an opening date or the project's cost in its latest release.
The build begins during a period of financial pressure for Holland Casino. For the first half of 2026, the operator reported gross revenue of €391.2m ($437.3m), almost unchanged from a year earlier and a €6.1m pre-tax loss.
Revenue from its physical casinos rose slightly to €361.5m, while online revenue was €29.7m. Holland Casino attributed part of the earnings pressure to the higher Dutch gambling tax, which reached 37.8% this year.
Questions over illegal online sites
In a separate development on 30 October, CDA MP Tijs van den Brink submitted written questions to Justice and Security state secretary K.T. van Bruggen about the enforcement of penalties against unlicensed online gambling sites.
The questions refer to EOD Code SRL, which was fined more than €37m by the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA).
Van den Brink asked why several EOD Code websites allegedly remain accessible to Dutch players despite earlier enforcement and the fine. He also sought an explanation of difficulties collecting penalties and asked about website blocking, payment restrictions and the KSA's powers over internationally hosted sites.
These are questions to the Government, not findings that the sites are currently accessible. No ministerial answer appears in the parliamentary record yet.
The KSA's latest market report estimates that 94% of Dutch online gamblers used only licensed sites in the first half of 2026, while licensed operators accounted for 59% of gambling revenue. That gap gives context to the MP's concern about enforcement against the unlicensed market.
The parliamentary questions follow the KSA's record €37m fine against EOD Code, issued on 22 October after the regulator identified 12 websites offering gambling without a Dutch licence.
Holland Casino's online gambling licence was renewed for five years from 1 October 2026
