Dutch Gaming Authority imposes fine on National Postcode Lottery and the Friends Lottery

30 May 2023
(PRESS RELEASE) -- The Gaming Authority (Ksa) is imposing an order subject to periodic penalty payments on the National Postcode Lottery and the Friends Lottery because they offer online games that are not permitted according to their lottery license. If the parties do not stop offering these games, they must pay a penalty of EUR 250,000 per week, up to a maximum of EUR 1,000,000.
The National Postcode Lottery offers the Games Lottery on its own website with the games Deal or no Deal, Suitcase hunt, ONE against 50 and Move That Truck. The Ksa has determined that this is an online game of chance. These games are not covered by the lottery license of the National Postcode Lottery.
The VriendenLoterij offers a Games Lottery, where the FriendsLottery Millionaires, Club-man and Bingo Crush games can be played. These are also online games of chance. The VriendenLoterij also has a lottery license, which does not cover this offer.
Both parties are summoned with an order subject to periodic penalty payments to immediately cease this offer without a permit.
Legislation and regulations make a clear distinction between lotteries and more risky games of chance, including online games of chance. A different license is required for both games of chance. Lotteries may not be offered online; it is only permitted to sell participation tickets ('lots') via the internet. The - for example - online offering of games that are linked to a lottery is prohibited. The law does not allow this. The Ksa remains keen to ensure that lottery and online games of chance remain separate.