Nederlandse Loterij Blocks Unlicensed Skyhills Site and Seeks Corporate Details on Offshore Operators
TL;DR — Nederlandse Loterij secured immediate blocking of the unlicensed Skyhills site and is pursuing corporate disclosures across multiple jurisdictions. This follows similar actions against Qbet, which faced a €24.8 million fine, and Lalabet, where a court imposed a services ban but limited trust company liability. The case arrives ahead of the September 3 parliamentary debate on enforcement powers.
SCCG Take — Regulators face limits in holding offshore facilitators accountable without stronger investigation mandates. Licensed operators need room to advertise or risk ceding the entire market to unprotected illegal sites.
Nederlandse Loterij has taken legal action against Skyhills to halt its unlicensed gambling services to Dutch customers. The Curaçao-based Skyhills N.V. holds no Dutch licence, yet players could register and place bets. The action has already made the site inaccessible in the Netherlands. The lottery organisation is also demanding information on the corporate structure and the parties involved.
Parties connected to the operation are based in Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Curaçao, Malta and the Marshall Islands. Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, said in a press release: “Player protection is paramount at Nederlandse Loterij. We want players to be able to participate in our games of chance in a safe and responsible manner. Skyhills is using devious advertising, including on TikTok, to explicitly target Dutch players and especially young people. They can gamble there completely unprotected, with all the associated risks. That is unacceptable.”
This is the third illegal gambling site Nederlandse Loterij has targeted through legal proceedings.
Precedents from Qbet and Lalabet Cases
Nederlandse Loterij previously brought proceedings against Qbet and Lalabet. The Dutch Gambling Authority imposed a record €24.8 million fine on Qbet for operating without a licence. The civil action seeks to establish liability for operators, directors, trust offices and shell companies. A ruling is expected later.
In the Lalabet case, the court ordered the Costa Rica-based operator to cease offering services to Dutch consumers and ruled it had acted unlawfully. The judgment required disclosure of shareholders and owners. It found that trust administrators and local representatives can be held liable in some circumstances. However, the court did not find that Curaçao trust company DECC and its directors had acted unlawfully, citing insufficient proof that they knew they were supporting an illegal site. Nederlandse Loterij has challenged that portion of the ruling and notes that DECC appears connected to both Qbet and Skyhills.
The Limits of Current Enforcement Tools
The Skyhills action arrives just before a parliamentary debate on gambling set for September 3. Blok has called for the Dutch Gambling Authority to receive greater powers and for immediate criminal prosecution by the Public Prosecution Service. He warned that legislative changes can take years. Blok also criticised proposals for a total advertising ban on licensed operators. Illegal gambling now accounts for half of the Dutch gambling market, is responsible for 95% of gambling advertisements, and involves an estimated 200,000 Dutch consumers. A complete ban on advertising by legal providers, the lottery argues, would further benefit unlicensed sites. As reported by World Casino News, Nederlandse Loterij maintains that banks, payment providers and hosting services share responsibility in the effort.
Reporting: World Casino News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Enforcement works when courts grant blocking orders; holding offshore enablers liable remains the hard part.
We work daily across every regulated market — enforcement gaps like this are the gap unlicensed operators exploit. Dutch licensees face tight ad restrictions while offshore sites run wild on TikTok. Until courts pierce the shell-company veil or regulators gain real investigative teeth, licensed operators fight with one hand tied behind their back.
- Skyhills blocked immediately; Nederlandse Loterij pursuing corporate disclosures across Costa Rica, North Macedonia, UK, Curaçao, Malta, Marshall Islands
- Qbet hit with record €24.8M fine; Lalabet ordered to stop services but trust company DECC avoided liability
- Parliamentary debate Sept 3 on enforcement powers; licensed operators face ad curbs while illegal sites target Dutch youth on social
SCCG angle: SCCG has licensed partners across Europe and deep relationships with regulators, payment providers, and compliance specialists who navigate multi-jurisdictional enforcement daily. When clients face unlicensed competition or need to structure compliant market entry that withstands regulatory scrutiny, we connect them to the right legal, licensing, and enforcement intelligence in real time.
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