Could Netherlands be the next to legalise online gaming?

It appears that the Dutch Government has become the latest to turn to online gaming as a potential new revenue stream. At a time when governments across Europe (if not the World) are looking for ways to make up their budget deficits and in light of the lingering recession, a multi-million pound cash injection is nothing to be sniffed at.

According to an article that ran in the Dutch newspaper, Telegraaf, it is possible that the incoming government could take a more pro-active approach to the legalising and regulating of on-line gambling, considering the estimated €270 million per annum in tax revenue it would potentially create.

Industry insiders have intimated that the Government would look to follow the example set by France, who recently legalised online gambling, and adopt a similar model of a state-owned company competing in a tightly regulated market.

This would certainly sit well with Holland Casino, the state-owned land based casino. A spokesman for the casino has confirmed that it would be interested in operating a gambling site in a legalized environment in order to capture the custom of the estimated 500,000 Dutch citizens who are currently wagering on offshore sites.

The spokesman went on to advise that careful measures would need to be implemented to protect customers and deter underage users, with suggestions including a pre-set maximum amount, or the introduction of a 'cooling-down' button.

Carola Schrijvers, spokesperson for IVO, an addiction research outfit, seems to agree: "If we do it right, and set the right conditions to operators, legalisation could be an advantage."