Nederlandse Loterij has taken legal action against Skyhills over its alleged provision of unlicensed gambling services to Dutch consumers. The gambling group said the Curaçao-based operator has no Dutch licence, yet customers in the Netherlands could create accounts and gamble through its platform.
Skyhills became inaccessible in the Netherlands following the initial legal step. Nederlandse Loterij is also seeking information about the companies and individuals behind the operation, which are linked to Curaçao, Costa Rica, North Macedonia, Malta, the UK and the Marshall Islands.
Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, said: “Player protection is paramount at Nederlandse Loterij. We want players to be able to participate in our games of chance in a safe and responsible manner. Skyhills is using devious advertising, including on TikTok, to explicitly target Dutch players and especially young people.”
Legal Action Extends To Operators And Facilitators
Skyhills is the third unlicensed gambling business targeted by Nederlandse Loterij, following cases involving Qbet and Lalabet. The organisation is seeking to establish responsibility among operators, directors, trust offices and other entities connected with illegal gambling.
The Qbet proceedings followed a €24.8 million fine imposed by the Dutch Gambling Authority for operating two brands without a licence. Nederlandse Loterij later sought liability against parties involved in the business, with the case still ongoing.
A separate case involving Costa Rica-based Lalabet resulted in a ruling for Nederlandse Loterij. The court ordered those behind the gambling site to stop serving Dutch customers and found that the operator had acted unlawfully towards the lottery group.
The court also required information about Lalabet’s ownership and corporate structure. However, it did not find Curaçao trust company DECC and its directors liable because there was insufficient evidence that they knew they were servicing an illegal gambling operation. Nederlandse Loterij has appealed that part of the ruling.
Debate Over Advertising And Enforcement
The Skyhills proceedings came ahead of a parliamentary debate on gambling scheduled for September 3. Blok supports stronger powers for the Dutch Gambling Authority against unlicensed sites and has called for further government action.
“That is why the government must do more now to tackle illegal gambling sites, for example through criminal prosecution by the Public Prosecution Service,” he said. “This is in addition to the legal steps that the regulator and Nederlandse Loterij, as a legal provider, can take.
“We must fight illegal gambling sites where players are completely unprotected together. Banks, payment providers, and hosting services also have a responsibility in this.”
Nederlandse Loterij has also criticised proposals for a complete advertising ban on licensed online gambling. It says illegal businesses account for half of the Dutch gambling market and 95% of gambling advertising, while around 200,000 Dutch consumers gamble illegally.
“A total ban on advertising for legal providers therefore plays into the hands of illegal gambling sites,” the lottery warned.
Kansspelautoriteit figures published in 2026 showed that about 91% of Dutch online gamblers used only licensed operators, while regulated operators captured roughly 53% of gross gaming revenue. Nederlandse Loterij says stronger action against illegal businesses remains necessary as the Netherlands considers further gambling reforms.
Source:
“Dutch Lottery Moves Against Illegal Skyhills Site”, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, September 1, 2026
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