Gambling News Blog » Netherlands

Unibet Appeal Denied in Netherlands Court, EU Action Looms

admin — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:03:42 +0000

Ahead of a scheduled vote wherein Dutch legislators will consider UIGEA-style legislation designed to restrict access to the Dutch online gambling market for international court, a Netherlands Court has denied an appeal in a related case by Unibet, admitting in its ruling that its interpretation is different than that called for by European Union treaty.

Unibet had been judged guilty of violating the Dutch Gaming Act and infringing upon the market rights of the Dutch state lottery, De Lotto (The Lotto). The October, 2007 ruling called for Unibet to pay De Lotto €100,000 per day, up to a maximum of €3,000,000, plus legal costs, for continuing to serve the Dutch market in offering wagering on
amateur soccer games in the Netherlands. The recent denial upheld the decision in favor of De Lotto.

One report notes that this is the 17th time that competitors to De Lotto’s market interests have been struck down in court rulings. In this most recent ruling, the court rejected as a part of Unibet’s appeal that the Dutch Gaming Act was in violation of EU accords. The Dutch court, however, noted that the European Union did not share that opinion and that proceedings against the Netherlands over access to the Dutch online gambling market are likely to occur.

Said De Lotto director Tjeerd Veenstra, “Illegal gambling threatens both the integrity of the sport as well as donations to the sport and other good aims. That is the reason why [De Lotto] fights rock hard for the conservation of these interests.”

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Greece, Netherlands Draw EU Ire over Internet Gambling Market Restrictions

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:03:26 +0000

Two more European Union member nations have drawn unwanted attention to themselves regarding restricted access to the online-gambling market, a practice counter to the trade mandates of the EU. On Thursday, the EU issued “reasoned opinions” against Greece and the Netherlands, again stating that the two countries must lift restrictions against foreign operators seeking to offer gambling services to citizens of those countries.

The opinions are the second stage in ongoing complaints against the two countries which date from April of 2006 for the Netherlands and June of 2007 for Greece. As with other issued reasoned opinions, the next stage is a two-month period for the countries to issue a
satisfactory reply or adjust their practices regarding the market sector.

The Dutch matter relates only to the provision and promotion of sports-betting services, and is connected at the present time to the once-planned state-run Holland Casino online poker room that was recently withdrawn from Senate vote consideration by Dutch legislators, following significant debate over the proposal. The complaint against Greece also includes that country’s more restrictive access to allowing Greek citizens to participate in services offered by other providers, and immediately drew the ire of the government-run Greek gaming group OPAP’s CEO, Christos Hadjiemmanuil. Said Hadjiemmanuil about the EU’s issuance of the reasoned opinion, “The Commission’s move does not affect OPAP’s rights. We will use all available means… to defend our monopoly rights.”

The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA), a group representing the interests of eight of the largest European online-gambling sites, quickly lauded the EU’s latest move. The EGBA’s Secretary General, Sigrid Ligné, said in a release that the “reasoned opinions send a clear signal that national gaming legislation, which does not serve any genuine consumer protection or public order interest, has no future.”

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Netherlands Official Blocks Vote on Exclusive Holland Gaming License

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:02:30 +0000

A Dutch government official has postponed a vote in that country’s Senate that would have granted the Netherlands-owned Holland Casino a temporary, exclusive online gaming license. The official, Minister of Justice Hirsch Ballin, cited concerns that the measure would be rejected by the Dutch Senate.

Holland Casino had previously been working with the Cryptologic Network regarding the design of the online room, with no immediate word issued regarding those plans in the wake of the surprise hold on the planned vote. Only a week ago, the same Ministry of Justice had announced plans to prosecute Dutch banks and financial institutions that processed payments headed to online gambling sites. The same
Ministry also announced its intent to create a blacklist of ‘rogue’ online sites, on which the determination of illegally processed transactions would be based.

The Dutch plan, of course, ran the risk of running counter to recent European Court decisions in the online gaming trade sector. The EU has consistently come down against the efforts of governments to protect or enhance gambling-revenue streams by restricting or barring other companies from those nations’ online markets. The impact of existing EU actions against other member countries such as Sweden, Germany and France may have played a part in the Dutch Senate’s lack of enthusiasm for the proposed measure.

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