State Secretary Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen told the Dutch House of Representatives that Nederlandse Loterij will remain a state holding. The government said privatisation would conflict with its revised gambling policy and require regulatory changes that could pose risks to harm prevention and consumer protection.
The decision keeps the lottery company under state ownership rather than moving towards privatisation.
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The Dutch finance ministry said Nederlandse Loterij’s higher-than-budgeted payments to the state and beneficiaries in 2024 reflected increased net revenue, including from the New Year’s draw and an expanded product portfolio. The finance committee had asked Minister Eelco Heinen to explain the increase; the ministry also cited cost control and partial mitigation of higher gambling tax and a tobacco-sales ban in supermarkets.
The KSA issued TOTO an instruction after finding that its customer due diligence and transaction monitoring did not adequately meet the Wwft, despite changes made during the regulator’s investigation. Nederlandse Loterij said TOTO had already revised procedures and would reassess player files; the company has six months to remedy the breach, after which the KSA will check compliance.
State Secretary Eelco Eerenberg has shared a plan for a further examination of Nederlandse Loterij’s future options. He intends to update the House of Representatives in the first quarter of 2027; results are expected in the second half of 2027.
State Secretary for Finance Eelco Eerenberg has shared a plan of approach for a further examination of the future options of Nederlandse Loterij, the state-owned lottery operator. In a letter to the House of Representatives, Eerenberg said he wants to begin the further examination immediately. He expects to be able to share the results with the House in the second half of 2027.
Lawyer Justin Franssen, a partner at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at Law, accused the KSA of leaving existing enforcement powers unused against platforms carrying illegal gambling ads in the Netherlands. VNLOK chairman Björn Fuchs said the association's lawsuit seeks to compel Meta to fulfil its obligations under the EU Digital Services Act.
Lawyer Justin Franssen, a partner at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at Law, said the KSA has the legal powers to act against Meta and other platforms that carry illegal gambling advertisements but does not use them. He made the accusation at the SBC Summit on Wednesday, according to a report of the panel. The Dutch online gambling trade association VNLOK has sued Meta, and its chairman, Björn Fuchs, set out what the association expects from the case.
Dutch lawmakers urged the government to strengthen enforcement against illegal gambling during a parliamentary committee debate. State Secretary for Justice KT van Bruggen said the government is developing legislation for DNS blocking, with a public consultation expected in early 2027. She also said officials are engaging with Meta and Google over illegal gambling advertisements and will receive reports every six months.