The Dutch government’s efforts to maintain the state monopoly on online gambling were given a boost on Thursday when the European court of justice’s advocate general said member states can grant a single operator the right to run betting and gaming.

And, he said, member states do not have to recognise gambling licences obtained in other EU countries, the Financial Times reported.
The advocate general’s comments refer to two cases involving Ladbrokes, Betfair and state-owned monopoly De Lotto.
Befair has been fighting for a licence to operate in the Netherlands since early 2008 and took the issue to the European court earlier this year. Ladbrokes has been under fire from the Dutch government for illegally targeting Dutch punters.
The advocate general’s advice is not binding but is usually followed by the court itself.