The Netherlands’ regulated online gambling market probably won’t make its latest launch target, and a Dutch court has ruled that the country’s licensing procedures need to comply with European Union trade rules.

Last week, several motions were put forward by members of the Dutch parliament’s Lower House regarding the Remote Gaming Act, which was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2021, with the ensuing six months used to vet license applications ahead of an official market launch on July 1.

In May, Minister for Justice and Security Sander Dekker stated that “the possibility of some delay” in this schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic “cannot be entirely ruled out.” This week, Dekker (pictured) confirmed that the current timeline – which had already been delayed six months once before – would likely be pushed back by “a few months.”

One of the MPs had sought assurances that the government’s online gambling self-exclusion register (Cruks) would be ready to go before the online licensees start taking customers. Dekker offered a “guarantee” that the register would be tried and tested before the market’s launch.