Poker News

ONLINE poker is set to be made legal in Holland.

In a move that could herald the wider regulation of markets across Europe, the Dutch government is expected to announce plans to award internet gaming licences.

It came after an independent commission, set up by the Dutch Ministry of Justice, ruled that poker was less likely to lead to addiction than other casino games.

The report also suggested that only Dutch poker companies be allowed to target players in the country with internet service providers having to block access to oversees card rooms.

It follows the recent regulation of online poker in both Italy and France and paves the way for unregulated European markets, such as Spain and Sweden, to follow suit.

In Belgium, online poker licences are expected to be awarded to land-based casino operators by the end of this year.

Dutch Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin set up the six-member committee a year ago to investigate the Dutch online gaming market.
In its final report, the committee said new legislation was desperately required and noted that sports betting and the national lottery are already fully legal in Holland with little cause for concern - and it saw no reason for poker to be treated differently.

It comes less than a month after The House Financial Services Committee in the United States passed a measure that would see online gambling regulated and taxed in America.