Dutch gaming lawyer plays down sports betting changes
Justin Franssen says limit on permitted bets in the soon-to-be-regulated market will have minimal impact on its potential
Proposed restrictions on the range of permitted betting markets in the soon-to-be-regulated Dutch egaming market are unlikely to have a significant impact, a leading gaming lawyer has said.
Reports that politicians will ban a range of “micro” markets – such as double faults in tennis and cards during football games – over fears they might be manipulated by match fixers have been circulating this week.
Members of the ruling coalition, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and Labour Party (PvdA), are understood to have been discussing the proposal and the Dutch football association has also chimed in with support for limits on certain markets.
However the restrictions remain up for debate and Justin Franssen of leading Dutch law firm Kalff Katz & Franssen said there is “little scientific basis” for the suggestion.
“There is a question over the effectiveness of what they are suggesting. The proposals appear more cosmetic than anything,” Franssen told eGaming Review.
“The reality is that match fixing doesn’t take place on these small markets. If there is match-fixing it is probably on large markets with a lot of liquidity,” he added.
Franssen also said that he expects a full plenary session on the bill in the first quarter of next year, with licences still on track to be granted in 2017.
Earlier this year the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit said the country’s online gambling market will be worth 296m (£217m) in gross game income in 2015 and said the market will increase 7.6% year-on-year based on an estimated 437,000 number of online gamblers.