Former owners of Oranje Casino lose multi-million-euro case
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20 Mar 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes
It is a heavy blow after years of litigation. The former owners of Oranje Casino and Kroon Casino have also lost their appeal. And see their multi-million-euro claim definitively dismissed. The Court of Appeal in The Hague, the Netherlands, has upheld the earlier ruling. And has once again ruled in favour of the Dutch state.
The Hague Court of Appeal dismisses objections
The ruling leaves little room for doubt. The court ruled that the Netherlands was entitled to ban online gambling for years, even though the casinos in question held licences from Malta. In doing so, the Court of Appeal follows the earlier ruling from 2024, when the District Court of The Hague had already rejected the claims.
The crux of the case lies in the provision of online gambling between 2007 and 2014. During that period, this was prohibited in the Netherlands. The former owners argued that this contravened European rules on the free movement of services.
The court acknowledges that such a ban constitutes a restriction, but finds it justified. This undermines the basis of the claim.
Protection of players is paramount
According to the judges, countries are free to decide for themselves how strictly they regulate gambling. They have considerable discretion in this regard, particularly when it comes to protecting consumers and preventing fraud and addiction
The fact that the Netherlands subsequently opted for a regulated system does not alter the ruling. The court states that a measure does not need to be perfect to remain valid. Nor does the fact that players could switch to foreign sites render the old policy invalid.
This reasoning is important. It confirms that national rules can take precedence over European freedoms where there are clear grounds for doing so.
Claim for millions and rectification rejected
In addition to compensation, the former owners also demanded a rectification of a press release issued by the Public Prosecution Service. This referred to suspicions of illegal gambling and money laundering.
That request has also been rejected. According to the court, the press release could not be traced back to specific individuals and clearly referred to suspicions.
This ruling brings an end to a long legal battle. The earlier decision stands and the claimants are left empty-handed.