Dutch courts have ruled that agreements between players and illegal online casinos are void, while the Supreme Court is considering related preliminary questions. In an interview, lawyer Benzi Loonstein said his practice now handles hundreds of cases and a collective claim on behalf of thousands of gamblers.
The court proceedings could affect operators facing claims over gambling agreements made while unlicensed.
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Reportedly, Australia's government has introduced legislation restricting gambling branding on professional sports jerseys. Existing sponsorship contracts could continue until 31 December 2031 under transitional provisions. Communications Minister Anika Wells defended the period as accommodating commercial agreements, while domestic lottery operators would receive an exemption.
The Netherlands’ Supreme Court ruled on 3 July that gambling agreements made before the Remote Gambling Act took effect cannot be invalidated under the earlier Betting and Gaming Act, reportedly. The decision concerns claims over pre-regulation losses, including a case brought for about 2,500 former Unibet customers that carried an estimated €75 million liability. FDJ United said the ruling provides certainty; the source says the court rejected the legal basis for these claims.
The Dutch Supreme Court ruled that gambling contracts with unlicensed operators are not automatically invalid, addressing claims over gambling losses incurred before the market opened in October 2021. Players may still seek to unwind contracts in specific circumstances or claim damages where unlawful conduct is established; recovery will depend on individual cases.
A Dutch court ordered Risepoint and, for some claimants, Kindred to provide players with personal data about their historical Unibet gambling. The court found Kindred responsible for access requests made between May and October 2024, but not for requests made later; its order therefore excludes two of the 11 claimants.
Dutch gambling trade body VNLOK is preparing a complaint to the European Commission about Meta. The association alleges that Meta has failed to prevent illegal gambling advertisements on its platforms.