Key Points
- The Dutch cabinet has asked an outsider to study the feasibility of selling Nederlandse Loterij, and they expect to get their results back by the second half of 2027.
- That was 17 months ago when the previous cabinet basically said selling the lottery just wasn’t going to happen, it was deemed neither practical nor fair. And now that there’s a new coalition in charge, they’re revisiting this whole thing.
- The lottery handed over its 2025 contribution of €200.6 million, with €126.4 million going straight to the state and €74.2 million heading to the sports and charities they support.
Dutch Government, Reopening the Lottery Sale Debate They Thought was Closed for Good in 2025
In May 2025, The Hague declared that its national lottery would remain in public hands. But, 17 months later, that promise is now under scrutiny. Now, an outsider will be looking at every option, and the government’s October announcement has set a clear deadline, they want the results by the second half of 2027.
What’s making this review so much more interesting than the last one is that the lottery has just reported a loss, and the amount of cash they hand out to good causes is dropping. And just as that’s happening the country’s top administrative court has backed its monopoly which means any new buyer would actually only own pretty much what it already has.
What this Outside Study Needs to Figure Out?
The new review builds on a report they put together on future ownership options for Nederlandse Loterij. They’ve got a sizeable portfolio that includes games like Eurojackpot, Staatsloterij, TOTO Sport and TOTO Casino. But what’s really at the centre of all this is ensuring that if this does go through, public interests get looked after, particularly on keeping gambling safe and the responsible supply of games.
They’ll also need to map out what any sale would mean for the state legally, the financial impact and all that, and also get a handle on charities, because the study will have to explain how beneficiaries get their regular funding if the lottery gets sold off. We should get an update from the State Secretary for Finance in the first quarter of 2027.
Even if it all gets a green light, that doesn’t mean the new owners get to take over right away.
A New Cabinet Makes a Different Decision
The last call on this came from the previous cabinet, but now that’s all changed. Back in May 2025, State Secretary Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen made it clear they weren’t going for a sale, saying it was neither feasible nor the best option. And, he was pretty clear in his letter to Public Gaming Research back then that the lottery would be staying in state hands. “I’ve decided not to sell, just stick with what we’re doing now,” he basically said. They also argued that private owners could well push against the rules a bit too much.
That cabinet doesn’t exist anymore of course. A new government took office in February 2026; it’s a three-way coalition made of D66, the VVD and the CDA.
Arjan Blok, Chief Executive of Nederlandse Loterij, thinks this is all pretty good news for them. “This new position will enable us to stay independent,” he said in June according to Lottery Daily.
Idea Which Will Not Disappear
The problem of sale has existed long before both cabinets came into office. In line with the participation policy of the Dutch state, the Ministry of Finance reviews the status of the state’s share in the lottery once every seven years. And the turn came again in May 2023 when State Secretary Marnix van Rij, SBC News writes, conducted such an evaluation.
The review has provided quite surprising information from the regulator. The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) stated that “responsible gambling and fraud prevention can be ensured without any state ownership.” Focus Gaming News reported at the time that the evaluation had revealed the lottery’s readiness for privatisation.
Losses, Tax and Good Causes Funding
The movement of money has happened faster than that of the politicians. The financial result of the lottery for 2025 was negative and equal to an €8 million loss, compared to €31 million profit in 2024. The growth of gambling tax and strict regulations on deposits on online platforms hit the lottery very hard. Dutch betting and lottery tax was increased to 34.2% in 2025 from 30.5% in 2024 and even rose to 37.8% in 2026.
The prize pool went down to €4.48 billion from €5.36 billion a year earlier. Total contributions decreased to €200.6 million, compared to €203.6 million last year. Sports federation NOC*NSF got €53.8 million, while 18 different charities got €20.4 million. The main contribution to the state budget was €126.4 million.
This split requires additional consideration. The sale will not only affect the sport and charity budgets, but also decrease the revenues of the state itself.
Decision of the Court Which Supports Monopoly
A court decision in September has changed the price of potential sales. On 16 September the Council of State maintained the system of a single license for scratch cards, sports betting and lotto. According to NEXT.io’s report on the court’s decision, it annulled a decision of a lower court made in 2024 which was in favour of competitor JVH.
A few days before that the KSA renewed the exclusive licenses for the three companies owned by Lotto BV, one of the core companies of Nederlandse Loterij. The licenses have been extended until 2031 and have an interesting feature. European Gaming
Next Steps
The timeline is set out. The progress report will be presented to parliament at the start of 2027, with the full findings coming by mid-year. Debate over licensing, charitable contributions and the state exit will occur before drafting any sale bill.
Expert Opinion: Is the State Selling at the Wrong Time?
In our opinion, the process starts from a highly dubious standpoint. The state introduced a tax which pushed the lottery it operates into a loss. It now commissions an adviser to value this business under its control.
Our key concern is the monopolistic nature of the lottery. In its ruling of September, the Council of State referred to European case law which allows for such lottery monopolies because of state control over the operator. A privately owned monopoly lottery is not compatible with this logic at all – we doubt this legal shield will stand unchallenged.
As the previous cabinet warned, a commercial owner stretches legal limits. No publication in October has clarified the change of circumstances regarding that risk.
However, Blok’s case deserves attention. His lottery competes with international online businesses, and the regulator stated back in 2023 that public interest would be preserved under private ownership.
Our opinion is unequivocal: the sale is a defensible one, but certainly not as a solution to a tax issue. Parliament should require legally binding commitments for the €74.2 million sports and charities get paid. Without them, the good cause faces the risk whereas the buyer gets a monopoly protected by the courts.
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