According to Dutch news reports, 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 liberalized.
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, according to the Volkskrant.
The coalition pledge is set to privatize the country’s gaming monopoly Holland Casinos Group as previously reported last year by eGR and a gaming tax on land-based lottery & online gambling is set for implementation. Between 500,000 and 800,000 Dutch nationals are thought to gamble on Dutch-language sites operated by foreign companies.
Netherlands’ planned “modernisation” of its gambling policy will entail regulation of internet gambling, sports betting & poker.