Circus review 2026

What is Circus?

Circus.nl is an online sportsbook and casino run by Cortex Holding S.A. of Liège, Belgium; the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) refers to its operator as Betca. It ranks #3 in our ranking of the best betting sites in the Netherlands.

A note on our sources: Circus’s website, including its general terms, blocked our automated checks, so this review relies on its help centre, the Ksa’s own pages and the app stores.

Is Circus licensed in the Netherlands?

Yes. Cortex Holding S.A. holds Ksa licence 1830 for online casino games, horse-race betting and sports betting, valid from March 9, 2022 to March 9, 2027, and circus.nl is the website the Ksa lists for it; Circus gives its licence reference as 1830/01.259.448. Its licence will need renewing in 2027.

The Ksa has never fined or formally sanctioned Cortex Holding, as far as its published decisions show. In 2025 it twice called it out: Circus removed a banned ad from a mobile game after the Ksa intervened (May 8), and the Ksa warned Circus and ZEbet for letting customers bet on winning or losing a tennis set, which Dutch rules don’t allow (July 15). Check any site with our Dutch licence check.

Sports, markets and features

Circus offers live betting and Eredivisie markets. Cash out can be full or partial, before and during matches. Its BetBuilder works for football, tennis, American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey, but only before kick-off: there are no live BetBuilders. When you’re logged in, you can stream selected football, tennis, basketball, darts and table tennis matches. As at every licensed Dutch sportsbook, there are no bets on matches between players under 21, on amateur and youth competitions or on events such as cards and corners: see sports betting law in the Netherlands.

Odds and limits

Circus doesn’t publish its margins, and we don’t collect odds; our margin calculator shows what any market costs you. We couldn’t check its maximum payout or minimum stake either, because its general terms page blocked our automated check, which is why it scores low here.

Deposits and withdrawals

Circus has the widest choice of payment methods in our ranking: iDEAL, Maestro, Mastercard, PayPal and Visa, with no fees from Circus, though your payment provider might charge one. Withdrawals always go to your own verified bank account, even if you deposited by PayPal. Circus says most withdrawals are approved and processed within a few hours, and up to 24 hours at busy times. There’s no minimum withdrawal: you can take out as little as €0.01. We couldn’t find a published minimum deposit.

App and experience

The Circus sport- en casino-app is rated 4.25 out of 5 on the Dutch App Store, but from only 8 ratings, and 4.2 from 40 reviews on Google Play, with more than 10,000 downloads (October 23, 2026).

Safety, responsible gambling and support

You must set a deposit limit before you can play; raising it needs approval from customer care and a 7-day cooling-off period. You can also set session limits per day, week or month and a loss limit, which you can only switch off by showing proof of income. Net deposits are capped by default at €300 a month if you’re under 24 and €700 from 24, and Circus checks Cruks, the national exclusion register.

Live chat is open every day from 8:00 to midnight, and you can email [email protected]; Circus’s help centre mentions phone support, but we couldn’t find a number. Free, anonymous help: the Ksa’s OpenOverGokken helpline on 0800 24 000 22, 24/7, and our guide to gambling help in the Netherlands.

Who is Circus best for?

• Bettors who pay by PayPal or card, without fees.
• Bettors who want their winnings fast, from as little as €0.01.
• Not for night owls who want support after midnight, or high rollers who need to know the payout cap.

Our verdict

Circus has a clean record, the best payment options in our ranking and fast, free withdrawals, plus partial cash out and streams. What we couldn’t check, its limited support hours and a licence that runs out in 2027 keep it third. Compare it in our Dutch ranking, or see the best Circus alternatives.