The Dutch tax office has decided repay tax which it had levied over the winnings of dozens of online poker players, dating back to 2012, website CasinoNieuws.nl said on Friday.

The decision follows a complicated string of legal proceedings centering on where the Pokerstars.eu website was based.

The tax office argued that the company is based on the Isle of Man and is not an EU country. The players, however, said the company is based on EU member Malta. Gamblers are not liable for income tax on winnings earned within the EU.

Lawyer Pepijn le Heux, who represented some of the players, told the website the court cases resulted in conflicting rulings which would have meant some players would get money back and others would not.

Negotiations with the tax office have now resulted in a client-by-client assessment and refunding of tax on the condition the players drop any further legal action, he said.