The Dutch Ministry of Justice has asked banking institutions to cease providing financial transactions to online gaming sites, including a number of online poker sites. According to the report from Reuters, banks in the Netherlands were given a report listing 30-50 online gaming with a request to stop banking services to these companies.
A representative of the Ministry announced that Unibet and Oranje Casino were among the 50 sites on that report. “It is illegal to offer gambling services in the Netherlands without a permit. These companies know they break the law,” she said. She also indicated that dossiers would be passed on to prosecutors who’s sole responsibility is to bring cases to court.
In the Netherlands, only the state licensed lottery has permission to offer online gambling. Recently, the Holland Casino applied for a license to operate an online gaming site, only to be turned down by the Dutch House.
Holland’s approach to online gaming contradicts the views of the European Union, which believes that EU members states should open up their markets to competition. Just recently, the EU gave Greece and the Netherlands a final warning before it takes court action against their stance on online gambling.
Surely the Dutch government sees competition from online gambling sites as a threat to generating income from their lottery.