Dutch government to prevent the expansion of illegal gambling

The government is serious about preventing the expansion of illegal gambling activities from Curaçao in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands.- Acting Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations Stef Blok and Junior Minister of Security and Justice Klaas Dijkhoff are taking the concerns of the Dutch Member of Parliament about the expansion of illegal gambling activities from Curaçao in the Netherlands very seriously.

Back in June, Dutch Minister of Security and Justice Ard van der Steur during a meeting of the four Justice Ministers brought up the need for supervision on internet gambling. Blok affirmed that a national ordinance is being prepared by the Curaçao Government to regulate the supervision on online gambling.

Blok outlined that the offering of gambling activities from Curaçao was an autonomous affair of the Country Curaçao. “Therefore it is a responsibility of the Curaçao Government and of the Curaçao Prosecutor’s Office to secure a proper supervision of online gambling,” said Blok.

The Minister explained that the Dutch Gaming Authority doesn’t have a mandate to act outside the Netherlands and therefore it cannot intervene in the local gambling industry. However, the organisation does promote the improvement and more structural cooperation with Curaçao.

In the meantime, the Dutch Gaming Authority has been investigated several reports about online gambling offered by Curaçao websites in the Netherlands. “It concerned illegal gambling with a limited size on the Dutch market. The investigation resulted in interventions, after which the transgressions were ended.” Informal enforcement instruments were used to halt illegal lotteries and fines were imposed to online gaming services.