Legislation

EU Court Upholds EGBA Victory: Rejects Dutch Appeal in State Aid Case

Friday 17 de October 2025 / 12:00

⏱ 1 min read

(Brussels).-The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has dismissed the Netherlands’ appeal in a long-standing state aid dispute, confirming that the European Commission failed to properly investigate whether the 2014 extension of monopoly betting and lottery licences breached EU law.

EU Court Upholds EGBA Victory: Rejects Dutch Appeal in State Aid Case

The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) welcomed today’s ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which dismissed an appeal by the Netherlands concerning the extension of monopoly licences to incumbent betting and lottery operators in 2014.

The judgment upholds a 2023 EU General Court decision (Case T-167/21) that found the European Commission failed to adequately examine whether the licence extensions constituted unlawful state aid, as they were granted without an open tender process.

The CJEU confirmed that the Commission must fully assess all relevant factors when investigating potential state aid cases and cannot take procedural shortcuts. While the Court did not rule on whether unlawful state aid actually occurred, it emphasized the Commission’s duty to conduct a thorough investigation.

EGBA Secretary General Maarten Haijer called the decision “a clear victory for the proper enforcement of EU law,” stressing that “the Commission must investigate state aid complaints thoroughly and cannot take shortcuts.” He added that the case underscores the need for Member States to ensure all gambling licences are awarded through fair, transparent, and competitive processes in line with EU rules.

Following the ruling, the European Commission is expected to reopen its investigation into whether the 2014 Dutch licence extensions involved unlawful state aid.

Categoría:Legislation

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País: Belgium

Región: EMEA