spokeswoman
"It is illegal to offer gambling services in the
Netherlands without a permit. These companies know they break
the law," she said.
She confirmed that Swedish online gamer Unibet and Dutch
firm Oranje Casino, were targets, but declined to give other
company names. The ministry has made a list of 30-50 Internet
gamers and has asked banks to stop services to these companies.
The spokeswoman said dossiers would be passed to the public
prosecutor who would be tasked with bringing cases to court.
In the Netherlands only the Dutch state lottery De Lotto
has a permit to offer online gambling, and last month the Dutch
upper house defeated a bill that would have allowed Holland
Casino to open a gambling website on a trial basis.
The Dutch approach to online gaming has put it on a
collision course with the European Union, which is pushing for
member states to open up their markets to competition. In
February the EU gave Greece and the Netherlands a final warning
before it initiates court action over restrictions in their
gaming markets.
Most of the illegal Web gambling is via credit cards.
"This is a Dutch issue, so we have only asked banks
operating in the Netherlands to participate," the spokeswoman
said.
Europe is grappling with the issue of Internet betting.
While some countries like Britain have opened up to almost
every kind of online gambling, others like Germany and France
have been reluctant to follow suit, concerned about gambling
addiction and worried that state betting monopolies would see
their revenues eroded.
Last year Unibet's Chief Executive Petter Nylander was
arrested in the Netherlands and taken to France where a judge
had issued a European warrant for contravening France's betting
laws. He was freed on bail.
(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Matthew Jones)
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