The Netherlands is a country that has been involved in ongoing disputes with the European Union when it comes to outside operators having access to its market, and restrictions have been loosened up to a certain extent, although the parameters are quite difficult to deal with from the perspective of taxes.
The policy that has been held by the government of the Netherlands has been challenged almost right from the start. There have been online gambling operators that have appealed to the European Union (EU) to overturn such a policy, and initially that did not meet with much success, as De Lotto, which had the monopoly on any and all online gaming that was to be played from the country, was upheld by the courts. But it was not long before De Lotto and Holland Casino, a government-controlled entity which had extended its land-based presence to include online gaming as well, were being investigated for monopolistic practices by the EU.
Over the last few years the government has, at different times, banned online gambling, tried to block foreign operators and issued a ban on all transactions from banks that have to do with any gambling operations. And they received a ruling from their own Supreme Court upholding such a policy as not being a violation of the spirit of European law. But that attitude has softened, and now there is national regulation of some of the online gambling activities, including online casinos, poker and sports betting. During the period after the announcement, operators who were "illegally" offering their product to Dutch residents were told that they would be left out of consideration for licensing if they did not stop.
Of course, there is a rough taxation policy in place, as the online gaming operators who are to be licensed will have to pay 29% of gross profits to the government. Does it make sense for many of them to avoid the licensing procedure altogether? That is the challenge that faces governments as this industry moves forward.
Fortunately, the consumers have options at their disposal. Dutch online gaming enthusiasts who want to partake in online gambling can find some offers to their liking. At Online Casino Lobby we have endeavored to act as a filter through this process and make recommendations that we hope we help interested customers in making a better choice. The casinos that are "friendly" to Dutch players will take deposits in Euros, pay out bonuses that way also and will have the availability to various payment methods that can facilitate opening an account. They have outstanding customer service that, more often than not, is accessible 24 hours a day. Let us help you navigate your way through all of this.