Dutch National Lottery to Pursue Legal Action Against Novatech

(AsiaGameHub) –   Nederlandse Loterij, the Netherlands’ national lottery provider and largest gambling operator, has announced it will pursue its legal rights against Qbet—an operator—and all associated entities backing it.

Qbet, owned by Novatech alongside 55Bet (another illegal entity targeting Dutch consumers), was designated by Nederlandse Loterij as “the largest illegal gambling site” in the Netherlands.

In light of this, the licensed operator stated it will aim to permanently shut down Qbet and its broader hierarchy using every legal tool available to it.

Nederlandse Loterij filed a comparable lawsuit against Lalabet in 2025—marking the first case of its size. Hearings for that matter are ongoing in The Hague.

The progression of this latest case involving Novatech will be worth watching, given that the company holds a license in Curaçao—an autonomous nation under the Dutch Crown—though the legal frameworks of Curaçao and the Netherlands are closely linked.

Notably, Novatech was recently slapped with a record €25 million (£22 million) fine by the Dutch gambling regulator, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), for providing illegal gambling services. The Nederlandse Loterij’s lawsuit will now add another layer to the mounting legal pressure on the company.

That said, there’s nothing preventing Novatech from simply giving up its Curaçao license—an action that would restrict the legal options available to counter it.

Arjan Blok, Chief Executive Officer at Nederlandse Loterij, commented: “Players can still access illegal gambling sites with ease—no age verification, no game limits, and they’re offered irresponsible bonuses and deceptive payment methods.

“At the same time, 200,000 Dutch citizens are gambling illegally. These are the players who face the highest risks, as they gamble more frequently and wager larger sums on unlicensed platforms.

“That’s why Nederlandse Loterij is stepping up to take responsibility—we’re taking the largest illegal gambling site to court, targeting not just the direct operator but also all those behind the scenes who enable it. Our goal is to block illegal gambling sites and keep them blocked.”

Blok has been outspoken about the challenges confronting the Dutch gambling market, especially regarding unlicensed black market operators and the declining channelisation rates in the regulated sector.

At the most recent Gaming in Holland event—covered extensively by SBC News—the Nederlandse Loterij CEO reaffirmed his full commitment to collaborating closely with the KSA to permanently shut out the black market.