Key Moments:
- Nederlandse Loterij formally demanded that Skyhills stop its activities in the Netherlands as of September 1, 2026
- Skyhills became inaccessible from the Netherlands after this legal action by Nederlandse Loterij
- Data from April 2026 released by the Dutch gambling regulator indicated channelisation by gross gaming revenue was 53 percent
Formal Legal Action Targeting Skyhills
Nederlandse Loterij, the state-owned lottery operator in the Netherlands, took decisive legal steps on September 1, 2026 against Skyhills, a gambling website that previously operated without licensing in the country. According to its announcement, Nederlandse Loterij demanded Skyhills’ operators and directors to halt all activities directed towards the Dutch market, holding them liable and requesting details regarding the company’s ownership and operations.
Following the issuance of this demand, Skyhills is no longer accessible to players within the Netherlands. While the organization’s statement did not confirm the filing of a court case against Skyhills, Nederlandse Loterij noted that the sought information could form the basis for additional legal measures in the future.
Wider Legal Strategy Beyond Individual Websites
Skyhills is now the third unlicensed gambling platform to face Nederlandse Loterij’s legal actions, joining Lalabet and Qbet. The lottery company has shifted its tactics from targeting only consumer-facing sites to pursuing companies, directors, and associated parties behind the businesses.
This broadened strategy has already been tested with Lalabet. In June, the District Court of The Hague determined that multiple parties behind Lalabet had acted unlawfully and ordered them to stop operating illegal gambling services for Dutch users. The court further compelled those parties to share their corporate structure, shareholder details, and ownership information. However, “DECC, a Curaçao-based trust office involved in the structure behind Lalabet, or two of its directors had [not] acted unlawfully,” the court did not find. Nederlandse Loterij stated on September 1, 2026, that it would appeal this aspect of the ruling.
Earlier in April, Nederlandse Loterij began legal proceedings against Qbet, indicating that its civil case would address operators, directors, trust entities, shell corporations, and various other stakeholders involved in facilitating Qbet’s activities. The intention is to hinder unlicensed operators from simply changing domains or company names to sidestep legal restrictions.
| Targeted Sites | Type of Action | Court Involvement |
|---|---|---|
| Skyhills | Formal legal demand, site blocked in NL | Unknown |
| Lalabet | Court case, disclosure orders | District Court of The Hague |
| Qbet | Civil case initiated | Ongoing |
Illegal Gambling Continues to Pose Market Challenges
Despite these enforcement efforts, combating illegal gambling remains an ongoing commercial concern. Data shared by Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Dutch gambling regulator, in April 2026, revealed that while about 91 percent of online gamblers used only licensed operators, channelisation based on gross gaming revenue stood at just 53 percent. This indicates players using unlicensed operators are losing significantly more than those who gamble in the regulated sector.
This imbalance means that even with a high proportion of players enrolled with approved platforms, unlicensed operators continue to capture a substantial share of total gambling expenditure, placing licensed companies at a disadvantage.
Skyhills had already drawn regulatory attention in 2025, when the KSA referenced the site in enforcement actions concerning social media promotions that directed Dutch users to unlicensed gambling. Investigations established that players in the Netherlands were able to set up accounts, make deposits, and gamble on Skyhills.com.
Expanding Enforcement: Broader Targets and Infrastructure Disruption
Looking beyond just the operators, the KSA announced in its 2026 supervisory agenda a commitment to strengthen efforts against the support structures for illegal gambling. The regulator specifically mentioned plans for increased collaboration with payment processors, hosting providers, and social media firms.
Additional regulatory proposals introduced by the Dutch government in June included the possibility of blocking illegal gambling sites and clearer legal requirements for service providers such as payment and hosting companies that may enable illegal gambling activities. Such actions intend to increase scrutiny on third-party businesses that allow unlicensed operators to continue targeting players in the Netherlands.
Nederlandse Loterij’s latest move against Skyhills aligns with these broader trends. There is a growing emphasis on disrupting not just the gambling sites themselves, but also the ecosystem that enables these sites to reach Dutch consumers without proper licenses.
- Author
Daniel Williams
