The cabinet has decided to keep the Dutch Lottery in state hands and not to proceed with privatization. Privatization is currently not feasible and proportional. Furthermore, it does not align with the vision on gambling. One of the principles of the vision is to leave the gambling market unchanged and to first take measures for the online market in the coming years. Additionally, privatization requires significant changes to laws and regulations, which poses risks that citizens may not have adequate protection against gambling harm. The cabinet finds this undesirable. Today, Secretary of State Van Oostenbruggen (Taxation, Tax Authority and Customs) and Secretary of State Struycken (Legal Protection) informed the House of Representatives about this.

Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen, Secretary of State for Taxation, Tax Authority and Customs: “The cabinet will temporarily maintain the Dutch Lottery as a state participation. By keeping the government involved with the Dutch Lottery, citizens have access to an entity that is structured differently than commercial gambling providers. This way, the cabinet also wants to take responsibility in a market that clearly has negative aspects and ensure long-term stability.”

In recent times, a consideration has been made regarding a possible privatization of the Dutch Lottery. It was considered whether privatization is feasible and proportional compared to state ownership. The cabinet has also taken the vision on gambling into account in the consideration, where the protection of citizens against gambling harm is paramount, gambling-related crime is to be prevented as much as possible, participation in illegal games is to be hindered, and the illegal supply is to be combated. Keeping the Dutch Lottery as a state participation aligns with this vision.