Dutch government unlikely to sell land-based casinos before 2020

The state-owned Holland Casino land gambling group, for some time now the target for privatisation, is unlikely to be sold before 2020, according to a parliamentary briefing by junior finance minister Menno Snel.

Like the country’s snail-like approach to online gambling legalisation, that’s several years later than planned, according to the publication Dutch News NL.

A spokesman for Snel later advised the Financieele Dagblad that “a number of administrative hurdles” still have to be overcome on the project, and the Dutch Senate still has to approve the amendments to the Dutch law on gambling.

The Holland Casino group, which runs 14 casinos nationwide, was set up in 1974 to offer a legal alternative for illegal gambling dens. Ministers agreed in 2014 to split up and sell off the company. Ten of the 14 branches will be sold off under their current brand while the other four locations will be sold as a group. The cabinet is also planning to open up the casino market to new providers  – with two licences available.

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