Holland Casino posted a pre-tax loss of €6.1m in the first half of 2026 after the Dutch gambling tax rose to 37.8% at the start of the year.
Revenue held steady. Land-based venues brought in €361.5m, online €29.7m. Combined gross revenue was €391.2m, up from €390.9m a year earlier. The operator recorded 2.5 million visits. Operating costs were kept flat: marketing cuts and other savings offset wage increases.
But the tax bill climbed from €124.4m to €138.2m — an extra €13.8m that turned what would have been a profit into a loss. CEO Petra de Ruiter said cost controls are working, but financial pressure is mounting.
Holland Casino has restructured its head office and streamlined operations in recent years. Without those moves the hit would have been worse. Despite the loss, the company cut its pandemic-era tax debt from €147.2m to €112.5m.
For operators in state-monopoly markets a tax hike without room to adjust the business model means a direct squeeze on margin.
