A court in the Netherlands ordered Betsson to pay the player more than half a million euros

In Rotterdam, a high-profile court case has ended, where the player sued one of the largest online gambling operators, Betsson, for the amount of almost €530,000. The thing is that the loss occurred in unlicensed online casinos operating under the Betsson, Kroon Casino and Oranje Casino brands, which were previously operated by BML Group Limited and Corona Limited.

The player filed a lawsuit demanding the return of €385,378, which he lost on these platforms back in 2014. The lawyers referred to the fact that the casino's activities were illegal in the Netherlands at that time - they did not have a local Kansspelautoriteit license.

Betsson didn't show up – and lost

The   court declared the agreements between the player and the online casino invalid, obliging the operator to pay the full amount of the loss plus legal interest. The amount of interest amounted to €144,622, and together with legal costs of €5,751, the total amount increased to an impressive amount €529 751.

The interests of the player were represented by the Dynamiet Nederland organisation, which is not the first time that it helps gamblers to sue money from illegal operators.

This is not Betsson's first defeat

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Betsson has lost in a Dutch court. At the beginning of 2025, the operator was already ordered to return €119,634 to another player for a similar violation.

Ironically, in February 2024, Betsson announced the acquisition of licensed Dutch operator Goldrun Casino, however, the deal has yet to be approved by Kansspelautoriteit (the gambling regulator in the Netherlands).

What does this mean for players and operators?

This case can become a precedent for other players who have lost money in unlicensed casinos. The court's decision is clear: if the operator worked without a licence, its agreements with players can be invalidated, and the lost funds can be returned.