- Status
- Judgment entered (judgment)
- As of
- 24 Feb 2012 · read from the court record
- Court
- Hoge Raad der Nederlanden · Supreme or high court
- Docket
- ECLI:NL:HR:2012:BT6689 (07/00035)
- Filed
- 2003
- Type
- Individual suit, licensing and administrative court cases
- Money
- No settlement fund or award on record
- Payout
- No payout exists as of 14 Nov 2026
Status words follow the court record: a complaint states one side's allegations, only the court's orders decide anything. Filing a settlement claim is always free.
What this case is about
De Lotto obtained injunctions ordering Ladbrokes to block Dutch residents from its betting site. The Hoge Raad referred questions; the CJEU ruled on 3 June 2010 (C-258/08) that a Member State may require foreign online operators to block access even if licensed elsewhere, provided the policy is consistent. On 24 February 2012 the Hoge Raad rejected Ladbrokes' cassation appeal on all points.
What this case is about
De Lotto v Ladbrokes is a Dutch Supreme Court (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden) decision of 24 February 2012, docket ECLI:NL:HR:2012:BT6689 (07/00035). Stichting de Nationale Sporttotalisator (De Lotto) had obtained injunctions ordering two Ladbrokes companies to block Dutch residents from their betting site.
The case began in 2003. De Lotto relied on article 1 of the Dutch gambling act (the Wok), which bars offering games of chance without a licence. Ladbrokes answered with article 49 EC, the EU freedom to provide services.
The dispute belongs to the Licensing and Administrative Court Cases category, where operators challenge national gambling rules.
Who is covered
This is not a class action. The parties are De Lotto as plaintiff and Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Ltd and Ladbrokes International Ltd as defendants.
The ruling affects any operator licensed in another European country that wants to take bets from players in the Netherlands. For other Dutch matters see Gambling Lawsuits in Netherlands.
The injunctions concerned Dutch residents only. Players in the Netherlands were the people the blocking order was meant to reach, but none of them was a party to the case.
Is there a payout?
No payout exists in this case. It is a dispute over whether an operator may serve Dutch residents, and no damages fund, claim form or settlement was part of the court record.
Players cannot file a claim here. The injunctions ordered Ladbrokes to block access, not to pay anyone.
What the court decided
The Hoge Raad referred questions to the Court of Justice of the EU. In case C-258/08, decided on 3 June 2010, the CJEU ruled that a Member State may require foreign online operators to block access, even when they are licensed elsewhere, provided the national policy is consistent.
On 24 February 2012 the Hoge Raad rejected Ladbrokes' cassation appeal on all points. As of 14 November 2026 the status is judgment, and no later step appears in the court record.
The group behind Ladbrokes appears on the Entain (Ladbrokes, bwin, Neds) Lawsuits page.
Why it matters
The decision is a precedent. It confirmed in the Netherlands that a national ban on unlicensed foreign online betting can stand against an EU-law challenge when the policy is applied consistently.
It is one of the licensing disputes collected under Licensing and Administrative Court Cases, alongside other national challenges.
Related cases
- C-258/08 Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Ltd and Ladbrokes International Ltd v Stichting de Nationale Sporttotalisator: the CJEU judgment of 3 June 2010 that the Hoge Raad applied.
Questions people ask
Could Ladbrokes offer betting in the Netherlands with a licence from another country?
Not freely. The CJEU ruled on 3 June 2010 that a Member State may require foreign online operators to block access even if they are licensed elsewhere, provided its gambling policy is consistent.
Did Ladbrokes win?
No. On 24 February 2012 the Hoge Raad rejected Ladbrokes' cassation appeal on all points, so the injunctions requested by De Lotto stood.
Does this ruling give players any money?
No. The case concerned blocking access to a betting site. No fund, claim or payment came out of it.
Who is involved
Plaintiffs: Stichting de Nationale Sporttotalisator (De Lotto)
| Defendants | Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Ltd; Ladbrokes International Ltd |
|---|---|
| Claims |
|
Is there a payout?
No payout exists in this case as of 14 Nov 2026.
What happens next
No future date is on the record we hold. The case is closed on the record we hold; later appeals or enforcement steps would be added here.
Timeline
2 dated steps on record, oldest first. Future dates come from court notices and can move.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Filed |
| 24 Feb 2012 | Judgment entered |
Documents and sources
3 primary sources (court file, administrator notice, regulator) and 0 secondary. Press is supporting evidence only.
- Court document: data.rechtspraak.nl
| What it supports | Source | Type | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoge Raad 24 Feb 2012 final ruling, Ladbrokes appeal rejected (government letter) | officielebekendmakingen.nl | primary | 14 Nov 2026 |
| CJEU C-258/08 judgment 3 June 2010 | curia.europa.eu | primary | 14 Nov 2026 |
| Hoge Raad 24 Feb 2012, zaaknummer 07/00035 | data.rechtspraak.nl | primary | 14 Nov 2026 |
Related cases
1 case in the record share parties, claims or a settlement with this one.
| Case | Court | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ladbrokes v De Lotto: Member States may block foreign online bookmakers | Court of Justice of the European Union (referral from Hoge Raad) | Judgment entered |
Last checked against the sources on 14 Nov 2026. Found an error? Tell us and we correct the record with a dated note.