The Netherlands ought to begin regulating remote gaming "sooner rather than later", according to Ron Goudsmit of Holland Casino.
This year, online gaming seems to have dominated the Dutch gaming agenda and, with HC seeking to attract younger players, this may prove to be a major new revenue stream for the state-owned company.
However, in keeping with other jurisdictions where monopolies exist, the Netherlands’ insistence on a single provider of online gaming services has been called into question by operators in other member states. Despite this, the European Court of Justice ruled mid-way through the year that if the country chooses this model in order to combat fraud and crime then it is in fact legal.
There is, though, an argument to suggest that if the expansion of betting and gaming is the aim, then surely this policy is not consistent with achieving greater player protection. Goudsmit told InterGaming that he believes a fully-regulated online gaming market will be a positive step forward.
"Online gaming is a fact of life," he said, "not least because of the cross-border character of the internet. The current ban on online gaming in the Netherlands forces players to gamble with illegal providers, which are numerous in this country and seem to be operating freely.
"The government needs to provide a regulatory environment for safe and reliable online gaming sooner rather than later. And it goes without saying that online gaming should not be limited to poker but should include all casino games."
