TLDR
- Nederlandse Loterij has filed a lawsuit against Skyhills, an unlicensed gambling platform accused of targeting Dutch players.
- The operators and directors behind Skyhills are based in Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the UK, Curaçao, Malta, and the Marshall Islands.
- Skyhills is the third illegal gambling site sued by Nederlandse Loterij in the past year, after Lalabet and Qbet.
- A June ruling found Lalabet’s operators acted unlawfully and must stop targeting Dutch players, though the Curaçao trust office DECC was cleared.
- The Dutch House of Representatives will debate gambling rules on Thursday, including new powers for the Gaming Authority.
Nederlandse Loterij has taken legal action against Skyhills, a gambling platform operating without a Dutch license. The organization announced the lawsuit on September 1, 2026.
The company has summoned the operators and directors behind Skyhills. It wants them to stop offering services in the Netherlands.
It also wants details about the company’s structure. This includes information on who owns and runs the platform.
People connected to Skyhills are spread across several countries. These include Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Curaçao, Malta, and the Marshall Islands.
At the time of the announcement, Skyhills was no longer accessible to users in the Netherlands.
Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, spoke about the case. He said player protection is a top priority for the organization.
Blok said Skyhills used deceptive advertising, including on TikTok. He said the ads specifically targeted Dutch players, especially young people.
Growing List of Illegal Gambling Sites
Skyhills is the third illegal gambling site Nederlandse Loterij has sued in the last year. The company previously took legal action against Lalabet and Qbet.
The case against Qbet is expected to start at the end of 2026.
In June, a court ruled mostly in favor of Nederlandse Loterij in the Lalabet case. Judges found that Lalabet’s operators and directors acted unlawfully.
The court ordered them to stop targeting Dutch players. They must also share details about the company, including shareholders and ownership.
The ruling also found that trust directors and local representatives can be held liable. This applies if they help illegal gambling sites operate.
However, the court did not rule against the Curaçao trust office DECC or its directors. Judges said there was not enough proof that DECC knew it was working with an illegal operator.
Nederlandse Loterij plans to appeal this part of the ruling. The company points to research linking DECC to both Qbet and Skyhills.
Parliament to Debate Gambling Rules
The Dutch House of Representatives will debate gambling rules on Thursday. The gambling market is expected to be a central topic.
Nederlandse Loterij has backed several proposals from the State Secretary for Justice and Security. This includes giving the Gaming Authority more power to act against illegal operators.
Blok said waiting for new laws is not enough on its own. He called for more criminal prosecution by the Public Prosecution Service in the meantime.
He also said banks, payment providers, and hosting services share responsibility. These groups can help stop platforms that leave players unprotected.
The debate will also cover advertising rules. Nederlandse Loterij has argued against a full ad ban for licensed providers.
The company says current rules are already strict. It warns that more limits could push players toward illegal sites instead.
According to Nederlandse Loterij, unlicensed operators control half of the Dutch gambling market. These operators are behind 95% of gambling ads in the country.
Around 200,000 people in the Netherlands are estimated to gamble illegally. Nederlandse Loterij says cutting ads for legal providers would only help illegal platforms grow.
