Dutch Organizations Launch Class Action Lawsuits against Operators

Gamblers across Europe continue suing gambling firms in hopes of getting their money back. As the shift toward regulated gaming continues, customers are saying that companies shouldn’t have taken their money before securing a license.

The latest such cases involve Dutch customers who are seeking compensation from online gambling firms that took their money before becoming legal in the Netherlands. Two foundations are spearheading mass claims involving thousands of players.

The April Case Set a Precedent
In April, a Dutch court ruled that an unlicensed company should return the money it took from a player. The player in question had lost roughly €200,000 to a company that did not have a Dutch license.

Back in April, lawyer Benzi Loonstein described the previous ruling as “groundbreaking” since it could set a precedent for more similar lawsuits.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is yet to finalize its final ruling. The legal authority is expected to weigh in on the matter early in 2025.

Two Foundations Are Launching Mass Lawsuits
Following the April decision, two foundations are getting involved in the matter, launching class action lawsuits on behalf of other players. One of these organizations is Gokverliesterug, which is preparing legal action against several operators who took money from Dutch customers before having a license.

Lawyer Koen Rutten, who represents Gokverliesterug, spoke on the matter, accusing iGaming companies of surreptitiously trying to avoid the Netherlands’ gambling rules for years. Rutten emphasized that these operators should be held to account even if they have secured a license since.

The second mass claim is led by Loonstein Advocaten, the foundation that won the April case. According to Dutch news outlets, over 20,000 people have so far signed up for that claim.

For context, the Netherlands legalized online gambling three years ago. However, many gambling companies offered their product to Dutch customers before that. While many of these companies have now acquired licenses and are operating legally, customers who lost sums before that are hoping to get their money back.

The Austrian Industry Is Experiencing Similar Lawsuits
Such lawsuits have become a hot topic in the world of European gambling and have occurred in other regulated markets too. Austrian gamblers have also hit operators with lawsuits, alleging that the gambling companies had taken their money before becoming regulated.

However, a recent Austrian ruling also allowed gambling companies to seek their money back from winners who won before the operators were licensed.

The OVWG recently weighed in on the matter, advising reforms that would avoid the potential “legal vacuum for consumers.”