Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, delivered a compelling keynote at the Gaming in Holland Conference 2025. He focused on the significant issue of illegal gambling in the Netherlands. Blok highlighted the alarming growth of illegal gambling sites. This reveals that half of the money wagered by Dutch players is now flowing to unregulated platforms. This statistic, based on calculations endorsed by the Gaming Authority and independent experts, highlights the scale of the problem. This is an issue that, as argued by Blok, requires immediate and collaborative action across the entire gambling ecosystem.
Blok shared concerns about the regulated market, noting that despite its efforts, it is struggling to compete with illegal operators. Nederlandse Loterij reported that less than four years after the regulated online gambling market opened, the channeling rate—the percentage of gambling directed to legal sites—has fallen from 80% to just 50%. This shift means €1.3 billion in gambling revenue is now flowing to illegal sites, offering no tax revenue for the state and, more importantly, no protection for players.
Blok called on banks and tech giants such as Google and Meta to step up their efforts in restricting illegal gambling sites that target Dutch consumers. Arjan Blok says that with their vast resources and technological capabilities, these companies are in a prime position to help close the backdoor to these illicit operators.
Cooperation between the regulator, licensed providers, banks, tech platforms, and payment services is crucial to combat this growing issue. Blok urged these sectors to work together in a common cause. He said they all share the same goal: to fight illegal gambling sites.
The Dutch Lottery took one of the key steps in this effort by filing a civil lawsuit against Lalabet. Lalabet is the largest illegal gambling sites in the Netherlands. Arjan Blok made it clear that the lawsuit seeks to shut down Lalabet permanently. It also aims to stop the operator from resurfacing under a different name or website. This legal action represents just one facet of a larger strategy to take apart illegal gambling networks in the country.
