The Netherlands’ highest administrative court says the government has to rethink its lottery monopoly, but monopolies on sports betting and lottery scratch cards can continue to exist.

In 1964, the Netherlands granted Lotto BV (now Nederlandse Loterij) monopolies over lotteries, scratch cards and sports betting, based on the Gaming Act approved that year. When these licenses expired on December 31, 2014, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) regulatory body automatically renewed them without granting other companies the opportunity to bid for the right to offer these services.

A number of international gambling firms, including Betclic, Betfair and Unibet, along with the European Gaming & Betting Association, challenged the renewal and won lower court victories, only to have the KSA appeal the verdicts.

On Wednesday, the Administrative Law Division of the Council of State upheld the sports betting and scratch card monopolies but ordered the KSA to rethink its decision to renew Lotto BV’s numerical lottery monopoly.