Netherlands is close to open its online gaming market

International online gaming operators will soon be welcomed in the Netherlands.

Netherlands.- Online gaming market is soon to be open in the Netherlands, once the lower house of the Dutch parliament has passed an expected bill to regulate the sector. Recent vote could mean the opening of the Dutch online market to the international gaming industry for the first time.

The Remote Gaming Bill is expected to be rubber stamped by the Dutch Senate later this year and regulation could be in place as early as 2017. The historic legislation will create wealth of new opportunities for operators and providers.

According to latest amendments to the bill, current lotteries and land-based operators will be ban from using their existing player databases to promote their online offerings. Furthermore, land-based operators will be forced to erect physical entry and player identification barriers, as well as contributing to a problem gambling fund.

Jasper Hoekert, co-founder of Revenue Engineers, a full-service gaming consultancy based in the Netherlands, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to see the Dutch Remote Gaming Bill finally pass through parliament. While there are some aspects of the legislation which are not ideal, this is still a very workable framework and I am confident that the Netherlands will quickly emerge as one of Europe’s most important gaming jurisdictions. For any operators or providers looking to make the most of this new opportunity, it is important to act quickly and seek local expertise.”