Dutch online gambling tender process interrupted

Industry speculation was running rife Thursday as news broke that the Dutch Holland Casino has withdrawn its Request for Proposals on internet gambling only weeks after publication and without giving any reasons.

The RFP invited online gambling vendors to submit proposals for online gambling services and was first published in February this year

The initiative calling for online gambling proposals followed news that the Dutch government was finally coming to grips with the reality of internet and mobile gambling through a draft bill on regulation and licensing due for submission in April, with an implementation target date of late 2013.

The consultation process threw up complaints – including one from the state-owned monopoly Holland Casino – that the proposed tax rate of 29 percent on GGR was too high.

The original RFP proposed a free-to-play poker, bingo and casino site to be up and running before the end of 2013, with a real-money system in place and ready to go the moment Dutch politicians gave the legal green light.

The deadline for submission was February 25, although when we went to press it was uncertain whether this had been extended. The winning company was scheduled to be announced on June 29, 2013.

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