The Netherlands’ top court has upheld the right of the local gaming regulator to impose hefty fines against international online gambling operators.

On July 13, the District Court in The Hague ruled that the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) regulatory body was within its rights to impose six-figure fines against two internationally licensed online gambling operators for doing business with Dutch punters without the KSA’s authorization.

The fines in question included a €180k penalty levied against Malta-licensed Co-Gaming Limited (then operating as ComeOn Europe) in 2015, and a combined €150k bill issued to the Gibraltar-licensed Mansion Online Casino Ltd. and ONISAC Ltd. the previous year.

The companies are believed to have already paid the fines but chose to appeal their cases to the District Court. It’s unclear whether either company will attempt a Hail Mary appeal to the Netherlands’ Council of State, the last remaining avenue of appeal in the country’s legal system. Regardless, the KSA issued a statement expressing pleasure that the Court had supported the regulator’s policy, which it claimed was “in the interests of the consumer.”