According to MGM Resorts, the move is part of BetMGM's ongoing plan for expanding internationally.

Launched in the UK last year, this is the second European launch using LeoVegas Group's patented technology and infrastructure. In 2022, MGM Resorts paid $604 million to acquire LeoVegas.

The new BetMGM service in the Netherlands will reportedly have all the same great features as the one in the UK, including regular jackpots and loyalty benefits, among many others. Exclusive slot machines and fresh sports incentives are also available to players.

The most recent foreign expansion of MGM Resorts' BetMGM
In the eyes of MGM Resorts International Interactive president Gary Fritz, this is a pivotal step in the company's global expansion.

Following BetMGM's phenomenal growth in other countries, we are ecstatic to introduce the brand to the Dutch market. Opportunity abounds in the Dutch market. Becoming a world-renowned gaming company necessitates extensive international expansion, and this will play a significant role in that endeavour.

It has also been confirmed that the BetMGM Netherlands sportsbook would be powered by Kambi. This is the culmination of a long-term agreement that began in 2016 with LeoVegas. In June of last year, the two entities reaffirmed their most recent partnership.

Following its 2022 acquisition of LeoVegas, MGM is expanding its interactive capabilities and planning a 2023 launch in the United Kingdom.

In May 2023, it also bought out Push Gaming, a company that made games and compiled them. As part of the acquisition, it gained an in-house slot studio. Gustaf Hagman, CEO of LeoVegas, explained to iGB that this is in line with the company's objective to control "a large part of the value chain in this industry" back in 2016.

In addition, Gustaf Hagman mentioned that their launch in the UK was incredibly successful while talking about the introduction in the Netherlands. Our team is looking forward to introducing the Las Vegas experience to the Dutch market with great anticipation. We still have a long way to go before we stop expanding internationally, but our entry into the Dutch market is a major milestone.

Can the success of BetMGM's UK launch be repeated in the Netherlands?
As a whole, the Dutch market seems to have a lot of promise. The online gaming report for Spring 2024, compiled by the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), gives a snapshot of the Dutch market.

Revenue from gambling in 2023 was €1.39 billion, or £1.19 billion plus €1.49 billion. From €1.08bn in 2022, this was a 28% rise.

In 2023, there was a notable increase in the overall number of player accounts. According to the Saudi government, there are around 1.1 million active accounts across the nation. Along with that, it calculates that 726,000 players are actively engaging with legitimate providers.

Earlier this year, BetMGM's UK director Sam Behar discussed the company's early success in Europe in an interview. The business will definitely try to do the same thing next time.

BetMGM is a very famous American business, with deep roots in Sin City thanks to the MGM Grand and the Bellagio, which are still going strong today.

"Considering how we entered the UK, it's been an unbelievable first five months," Behar stated in January 2024. We set out with a singular goal in mind: to make things function, and we've accomplished that, to a great extent. We've introduced the Las Vegas experience to the UK, and it's safe to say that the punters are really enjoying it.

The entrance of BetMGM into the UK was heralded by an extravagant advertisement, which featured comedian Chris Rock beside a lion atop a golden speedboat cruising the River Thames.

Netherlands crisis on the rise
But when it comes to advertising campaigns in the Netherlands, BetMGM is likely to face a bigger hurdle.

The advertisement of gambling was recently outlawed by a majority in parliament. This is in continuation of the 1 July 2023 implementation of the prohibition on untargeted advertising in the Netherlands. Consequently, it became illegal to air or publish commercials on radio, television, or in outdoor spaces. The prohibition also applies to sports sponsorships.

Even though BetMGM has already secured sponsorship arrangements with Premier League clubs such as Manchester City, Wolves, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Newcastle—and launched with a strong emphasis on sponsorship—the Dutch market is sure to present higher competition.

The Dutch house of representatives has already voted to outlaw all types of advertising, and a larger move by them this month would add even more uncertainty. A total prohibition of slot machines and other games of chance was also approved in the 16 April ballot. Legislator Derk Boswijk proposed the measure.

Even while there is support for such a restriction in the House of Representatives, getting it codified into law will require a separate case. The matter has been passed on to Franc Weerwind, the Dutch minister of justice. Examining and approving legislation will be his responsibility.

In response to the vote that brought attention to the dangers of the underground market, the Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) has issued a statement.

The actions were described by NOGA as "thoughtless and irresponsible," and the organisation warned Weerwind against making decisions that could not be changed. "The house is trying to force a decision based on wrong figures, assumptions and unrealistic fears," stated NOGA director Peter-Paul de Goeij.

Ninety percent of Dutch gamers, according to NOGA's calculations, wager with legitimate suppliers. But the group is worried that people would turn to the black market again because of the new restrictions.