Nederlandse Loterij has taken fresh legal action against Skyhills, ordering the operators behind the unauthorised gambling platform to stop targeting Dutch players.
The move comes shortly after a significant court victory against another illegal operator, Lalabet, and as the Netherlands prepares to debate further changes to its gambling laws.
Skyhills has already become inaccessible to players in the Netherlands following the cease-and-desist action.
Skyhills targeted over Dutch-facing activity
Nederlandse Loterij said it sent notices to companies and directors connected to Skyhills across several jurisdictions, including Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the UK, Curaçao, Malta and the Marshall Islands.
The state-backed lottery operator accused the platform of actively targeting Dutch consumers, including younger audiences through advertising on TikTok.
Nederlandse Loterij CEO Arjan Blok said players using such platforms are gambling without the protections available in the regulated market.
The action makes Skyhills the third illegal operator targeted by Nederlandse Loterij, following previous proceedings involving Lalabet and Qbet.
Lalabet ruling gives the lottery a stronger position
The latest action follows a Dutch court ruling in the Lalabet case that largely backed Nederlandse Loterij’s position.
The court found that Lalabet’s operators and directors had acted unlawfully by targeting Dutch players and ordered them to stop their activities. They were also required to provide information about the platform’s ownership and shareholders.
The ruling could have implications beyond the operators themselves, as the court considered the potential responsibility of companies and individuals acting as intermediaries for illegal gambling businesses.
Although Curaçao-based trust company DECC and its directors were not held liable in that particular case, Nederlandse Loterij is continuing to challenge parts of the ruling. The lottery believes trust companies should have stronger responsibilities when assessing the clients they represent.
The operator is also examining the role of the same trust firm in relation to Qbet and Skyhills.
Nederlandse Loterij calls for faster enforcement
The crackdown comes as lawmakers in The Hague prepare to discuss further reforms to Dutch gambling regulation.
Nederlandse Loterij supports proposals that would give the Kansspelautoriteit greater powers to tackle illegal operators, but argues that legislative changes alone will not solve the problem quickly enough.
Blok has called for immediate action from prosecutors alongside efforts by regulators and licensed operators.
He also pointed to the wider network supporting illegal gambling platforms, including banks, payment providers and hosting companies, arguing that these businesses should play a role in preventing unauthorised operators from reaching Dutch consumers.
Lottery warns advertising ban could backfire
Nederlandse Loterij has also taken a different position on another major proposal: a blanket advertising ban for licensed online gambling operators.
The lottery has warned that removing advertising opportunities from the regulated sector could unintentionally push more players towards illegal websites.
Nederlandse Loterij estimates that unauthorised operators already account for around half of the Dutch online gambling market and approximately 95% of online gambling advertising.
The organisation also estimates that roughly 200,000 Dutch consumers are currently using unlicensed gambling platforms.
Those concerns come amid a wider industry dispute over illegal gambling advertising. The Dutch Online Gaming Providers (VNLOK) has already taken legal action against Meta and complained to the European Commission over gambling advertisements appearing on Facebook and Instagram and allegedly targeting Dutch users.
VNLOK estimates that the illegal online gambling market in the Netherlands is now comparable in size to the regulated sector, with annual revenues exceeding €1 billion.
Illegal market remains the bigger challenge
The Skyhills case highlights the difficult balance facing Dutch policymakers.
While the Netherlands continues to strengthen its regulated gambling framework, illegal operators remain capable of reaching consumers through international corporate structures, social media and digital advertising.
For Nederlandse Loterij, the latest legal action signals that the fight is moving beyond individual operators. The lottery is pushing for greater scrutiny of the companies, payment networks and intermediaries that allow unlicensed gambling platforms to operate.
With the Skyhills action following the Lalabet ruling, the Dutch market could now see more legal challenges as authorities and licensed operators attempt to close the gap between the regulated and illegal sectors.