Betfair: We Will Re-apply for Online Sportsbook in Holland

Just two months after a five-year legal battle that saw the European Court of Justice rule against them, Betfair will nevertheless reapply for a license to provide an online sportsbook in the Netherlands.

In a pair of cases in June, the ECJ twice found in favor of the Holland government and its monopoly Internet gambling provider De Lotto against Ladbrokes first and later Betfair in essentially allowing local authorities in European Union countries to ban online gambling and thus disallow other EU-based companies from offering these services across borders.

Betfair official Tim Phillips told a trade publication that “We are certainly planning to [apply for a license in Netherlands], but we are waiting for the impact of the European Court of Justice ruling to filter down to the local courts before we get the opportunity.”

Even after the first ruling, Betfair stated that they had plans to reenter the Dutch market; the company is also currently readying plans to provide its online sportsbook in Denmark, France and Greece in the near future.