Dutch Lottery Claims Victory, But Lalabet Will Continue
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4 Sep 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes The notorious online casino Lalabet will close on September 1, 2025. The company announced this in an email to some of its players.
Despite the closure, the story continues. The same email stated that Lalabet will continue under a new name: Chachabet. The new website looks virtually identical to the old site, with only the logo and name being different.
For the Dutch Lottery (NLO), this is a sign that the legal pressure is starting to have an effect. However, NLO emphasizes that the fight against illegal gambling sites is not over yet.
For years, Lalabet targeted unlicensed Dutch players.
Lalabet was one of the largest illegal online casinos in the Netherlands. Research by the Responsible Affiliates Quality Mark revealed that the site generated more than 68,000 searches per month.
The casino never held a Dutch license, but continued to target players in the Netherlands. In doing so, the company violated the law and attracted the attention of regulators.
From Casbit Group to SkyGrow Group and ultimately bankruptcy
Lalabet was long part of Casbit Group N.V., a company with a Curaçao license. In 2024, the Netherlands Gambling Authority imposed a penalty payment order. Shortly thereafter, Casbit deregistered from the commercial register.
In December of that year, a court in Curaçao declared Casbit Group bankrupt. The company failed to pay its outstanding claims. By then, Lalabet had already been transferred to SkyGrow Group Limitada, based in Costa Rica.
The Dutch Lottery continues legal pressure with lawsuit
Due to Lalabet’s size, NLO decided to initiate civil proceedings. With this lawsuit, the state-owned company aims to force Lalabet to cease its activities in the Netherlands.
NLO also demands damages. The organization emphasizes that illegal operators not only disrupt the market but also cause harm to legal gambling providers.
Chachabet succeeds Lalabet with the same approach
Chachabet has now gone live. The site appears to be a carbon copy of Lalabet in terms of layout and functionality. Only the name and logo have been changed.
The new casino is operated by 3-102-897762 LTDA, also based in Costa Rica. This company also runs other illegal gambling sites, including New Lucky Casino, Starzino, KokoBet, and Spinybet.
Different company information visible in Belgium
It is striking that players from Belgium see different company information. With a Belgian IP address, LuckyWayz Limited B.V. appears as the operator, holding a Curaçao license.
That license was issued on April 14, 2025, and runs until October 14, 2025. It appears that the gambling site is thus still using a legitimate license.
Reaction from the Dutch Lottery to Lalabet’s name change
NLO considers the name change a sign that its approach is working. At the same time, the organization warns that this doesn’t solve the problem. Speaking to Casinonieuws, they explained:
“These companies don’t just disappear,” a spokesperson said. “If one site closes, another will appear. That’s why we’re continuing our civil battle. Only by tackling the people behind these gambling sites can this stop.”