The Dutch gambled (legally) nearly 3.5 billion euro in 2004. Lotteries and sports betting combined were responsible for turnover of €1,549,500 up from €1,520,800 in 2003. The Holland Casino monopoly only publishes gross revenues, which amounted to €123.7 million in 2004. Slots turnover was around €1.1 billion.
The state lottery remained the biggest Dutch operator with a turnover of €697.5 million in 2004 (down slightly from €699.1 million in 2003). The Nationale Postcode Loterij (National Zipcode Lottery) was the second biggest lottery, with turnover up to €393.5 million from €362.1 million in '03.
The Novamedia Groep, which has been renamed the Holding Nationale Goede Doelen Loterijen NV ("Holding National Good Causes Lotteries" company), saw growth for all three of its lotteries. This accounted for the National Zipcode Lottery, the BankGiro Loterij (from €79.8 to €84.2 million) and the Sponsor Loterij (from €69.6 million to €72.2 million). The three lotteries of can only be played via subscription sales.
De Lotto, which has been engaged in court cases versus foreign operators, lost significant market share with its range of toto/lotto games (from €214.2 million in 2003, to €211.3 million in 2004) as well as with its scratch cards (from €62 million to €58.3 million).
The smallest operator is Scientific Games Racing Nederland BV (SGR), a 100 percent subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation in Atlanta. Betting on horses takes place via 30 locations in the Netherlands and via the V75 Internet-based daily game. The totalisator has been in a negative spiral for years. Its turnover dropped from €34 million in 2003 to €31.9 million in 2004.
Holland Casino operates 12 casinos in the Netherlands; it is 100 percent owned by the Dutch government and is the only legal casino operator in the Netherlands. Players' winnings are not subject to taxation. The group's gross revenues dropped from €129.2 million in 2003 to €123.7 million in '04. The negative trend did not influence the decision of the Dutch government to open state-owned casinos in two new locations. Holland Casino's share of the total gambling market is 19 percent.
The Dutch state in 2004 cashed in on €475.4 million, and good causes received €377.8 million.
The total amount spent by Dutch Internet gamblers via foreign operators in 2004 was €67 million, together with €3.5 billion legally spent in the Netherlands. The average person in the Netherlands, therefore, spent €222 on gambling in 2004.
Internet Gambling
Only the De Lotto, sports betting, and the Sporttotalizator are allowed to offer their products via the Internet in the Netherlands. De Lotto also offers an SMS product.
Holland Casino received a temporary license to test games of chance via the Internet during an evaluation period of at least two years. The Dutch Cabinet Council, as requested by the Minister of Justice, will approve a new bill authorizing the temporary license; the policy will go into effect within one year. The goal is to gain experience offering games of chance on the Internet in a controlled way and to understand the effects.
Based on the findings of the test, a decision will be taken on any system of licensing of games of chance on the Internet. The draft law to allow such a test will soon be submitted to the Lower House of Parliament.
The Dutch Slot Branche organization, meanwhile, has complained that the Dutch government's promise to issue a temporary license for Internet use is a sign that the government favors state-controlled operators at the cost of private businesses.
The Internet and SMS are the only interactive distribution channels for gambling in the Netherlands.