The Court of Arnheim ruled against the company Sportdreams that was offering so called “management games” on the internet.

In these management games, players compose their own sports teams and collect points according to the performance of their selected players in the real competitions. Players can win money prizes according to the points they score.

The court ruled that this game is an ordinary game of chance, which therefore needs a gambling license. However, online gambling licenses are only given to a few lotto organisations and the horseracing pool operator. Sportdreams was therefore operating illegally.

This ruling is important as more and more new forms of gaming are presented to consumers. Other new forms of gambling include interactive TV quizzes where viewers can call in – at high calling rates – to win prizes and promotional activities with prizes.

Where licensed online operators need to fulfil many requirements, these newcomers are often getting around them. The IFHA therefore supports the strict compliance with national license requirements for the provision of (online) gaming services.