At present, Holland Casino is the only state-regulated gambling establishment within the country but this is all set to change.

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) is aiming for the recently passed Remote Gambling Act to come into effect on 1 July 2020, with permit applications processed from that date.

The online market would then open on 1 January 2021, according to René Jansen, KSA Chairman.

Bwin, Unibet and PokerStars are among those said to want to enter the Dutch online market.

Lawyer Justin Franssen is acting on behalf of some of the applicants and he believes many seeking a license will drop out of the process nearer the time.

He is quoted as saying: "It is going to be expensive. You have to pay for the license, tax and a percentage of your earnings must go into a fund to combat addiction."

The KSA has previously said 79 firms are interested in a license, which brings a degree of credence to claims the number has increased to 125.