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Nederlandse Loterij moves to shut down illegal Skyhills platform following Lalabet victory

By jili tutorial · September 3, 2026

Nederlandse Loterij Moves to Shut Down Illegal Skyhills Platform Following Lalabet Victory

State-Backed Operator Takes Action Against Unauthorized Gambling Site

The state-owned Nederlandse Loterij has issued a cease-and-desist order to the operators of the illegal gambling platform Skyhills, demanding they stop serving Dutch players. The move follows a recent court ruling in a separate case involving the operator Lalabet.

On Tuesday, Nederlandse Loterij announced it had sent the directive to companies and directors linked to Skyhills across multiple jurisdictions, including Costa Rica, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Curaçao, Malta, and the Marshall Islands. The operator confirmed that the Skyhills platform is now inaccessible in the Netherlands as a result of the order.

Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, emphasized the importance of player protection in a statement this week. “Skyhills uses deceptive advertising, including on TikTok, that explicitly targets Dutch players, especially young people. Players there gamble without any safeguards and face all the associated risks,” he said. “This is unacceptable. It is encouraging to see Skyhills go offline immediately after our initial action.”

Building on the Lalabet Case Precedent

Skyhills is the third illegal operator targeted by Nederlandse Loterij, following previous legal action against Lalabet and Qbet. The Lalabet case reached a milestone in June, when a Dutch court ruled largely in favor of the lottery operator. The court found that Lalabet’s operators and directors had acted unlawfully by targeting Dutch players, and ordered them to cease activities and provide detailed ownership and shareholder information.

The court also examined potential liabilities for trust administrators and local representatives who facilitate illegal gambling sites. Although it did not find Curaçao-based trust firm DECC and its directors liable in this instance, the ruling signaled that such intermediaries could face closer scrutiny in the future.

Nederlandse Loterij has announced plans to appeal parts of the Lalabet decision, particularly arguing that trust firms have a duty to properly vet their clients. The operator is also investigating the role of the same trust firm in relation to Qbet and Skyhills, indicating that further legal proceedings may follow once the corporate structures are clarified.

Nederlandse Loterij Weighs In on Upcoming Reforms

The crackdown on illegal gambling sites coincides with a broader policy debate in The Hague. The Dutch House of Representatives is set to discuss gambling regulation reforms this week. Nederlandse Loterij has welcomed government proposals aimed at expanding the Gambling Authority’s powers to combat illegal operators, but has cautioned that comprehensive legislative changes could take years to take effect.

Blok called for more decisive immediate action, stating: “The government must act now through criminal prosecutions by the Public Prosecution Service, alongside measures taken by regulators and licensed operators. Tackling illegal gambling requires joint responsibility from banks, payment providers, and hosting services who facilitate these platforms.”

Advertising Concerns

The lottery operator also criticized government proposals for a blanket advertising ban on licensed online gambling providers, introduced in June. It argued that such restrictions could inadvertently drive more players toward unregulated, illegal platforms.

According to Nederlandse Loterij, illegal operators currently control approximately half of the Dutch online gambling market and account for roughly 95% of online gambling advertisements, often masquerading as licensed providers. The Loterij estimates that around 200,000 Dutch citizens already engage with unauthorized platforms.

Earlier this summer, the Dutch Online Gaming Providers (VNLOK) trade body initiated legal action against Meta and lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission, accusing the social media giant of failing to prevent the widespread display of illegal online gambling advertisements targeting Dutch users on Facebook and Instagram. According to VNLOK, the illegal online gambling market in the Netherlands now matches the size of the regulated sector, with estimated annual revenues exceeding €1 billion ($1.1 billion).

Kathryn Evans covers breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker, and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.