Illegal gambling sites are closing down, and hoping to become legal

Gambling sites such as Unibet, Bwin and Ladbrokes are closing down their Dutch language sites in the hope of becoming legal when the sector is liberalised, the Volkskrant reports on Tuesday.


The sites hope that by sticking to the rules and not targeting Dutch gamblers, they will be able to benefit when the Dutch state monopoly is lifted, the paper says.
Between 500,000 and 800,000 Dutch nationals are thought to gamble on Dutch-language sites operated by foreign companies. These include giant stock-exchange listed groups and small players, some of which operate from tax havens such as Malta and Costa Rica.
The Dutch gambling authority has written to 40 companies warning them to stop targeting the Dutch market and more than half have done so. Only the state-owned Lotto is allowed to offer internet gambling at the moment.
The gambling authority was set up in anticipation of this move, with an emphasis on social responsibility. The cabinet has not yet decided how to proceed with the liberalisation of internet gambling.
Dutch Lotto gambling monopoly does not break EU rules
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