Dutch Remote Gaming Bill Approved, Online Casino Market Opening for Competition

The Dutch authorities took a first step towards the liberalization of the state’s gambling market, by approving the remote gaming bill.

Following orders from the European Union, the Netherlands will soon be opening the online gaming market and getting rid of its casino and sports betting monopolies. The state’s Council of Ministers has recently approved the much-discussed remote gaming bill, which will replace the current restrictive Dutch gambling laws.

The bill still has to be approved by the Council of State and the Dutch House of Representatives and these procedures could take a couple of months. The details of the new law are expected to be published by the second quarter of 2014. Later this year, legislators will also discuss a set of reforms to the state lottery.

Betsson entering the Dutch market

With the internet gambling industry opening up for competition, Swedish operator Betsson is preparing to enter the Dutch market. The company has recently bought Oranje and Kroon, a gambling group which operates online gambling sites in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The deal cost EUR 40 million in cash and EUR 60 million worth of company shares. “With this acquisition, Betsson gains a strategic position in the Netherlands and become one of the biggest players on the Dutch market which is expected to be re-regulated during 2015,” said company president Magnus Silfverberg.