The online gambling Swedish company Betsson Group has urged the trade watchdogs of the European Union to take the necessary measures to prevent the Netherlands from taking enforcement actions against the brands of the company which are currently operated across the country.
The Netherlands’ Government and competent authorities have been focused on preparing the country’s new online gambling legislation for a few years now. The country has been expected to officially introduce its approved online gambling legislation as soon as possible. Local legislators, however, first need to reach an agreement about some future procedures they would take. The Netherlands online gambling regulated market is expected to be officially set as early as the second half of 2018.
To date, the local market remains closed, while the political situation in the country suggests that it would be very likely for a online gambling law that corresponds to the major principles of the European Union.
Despite the fact that the new online gambling legislation of the country is not ready yet, the local regulatory body called Kansspelautoriteit has already been acting very aggressively against online gambling operators which it had considered to be violating the law and be offering their services to local customers without a license and an official permission.
Currently, Betsson AB operates two brands in the Netherlands – the Kroon and the Oranje brands. The company has been concerned about the situation, so it argued that the local regulatory authority is not entitled with the legal justification for taking enforcement action against online gambling operators in the Netherlands. It also claimed that its local brands had complied with the prioritization criteria implemented by the Kansspelautoriteit regulatory watchdog back in 2012.
That was exactly the reason why the online gambling operator said it will continue to operate in line with the afore-mentioned criteria, but it will not change its operations any more, as according to it, the change of policy has no legal basis.
According to the company, the current acting law in the Netherlands in not corresponding to the law of the European Union. At the end of last week, the Betsson AB released an official statement, reminding that infringement proceedings against the Netherlands had been suspended by the European Commission about ten years ago. According to Betsson, infringement procedures were not given the green light after that, considering the pledge of the country to review the legislation and regulatory framework and make the market more liberal.
The company explained that the Netherlands’ authorities seem unable to officially adopt a new online gambling policy in line with rules about fairness and transparency. Betsson AB also projected that the new online gambling legislation would not be implemented until the next election that is expected to happen in four years from now.
Betsson AB said that the enforcement procedures initiated by the Kansspelautoriteit were violating the legal principles of the European Union. The company also shared that it would take all actions, if necessary, to defend its operations from attempt of enforcement made by the Netherlands’ regulatory authority.
- Author
Daniel Williams
