Holland Casino sale raises questions over online future
Uncertainty over future ownership of state-owned casino group's online brand as operator is due to be broken up in privatisation
The future of online gaming operations from Holland Casino has been thrown into doubt after plans to break up the group as part of privatisation plans were confirmed.
Under the Dutch government’s privatisation scheme, ten of the 14 Holland Casino properties will be grouped together and sold to an independent party, while the remaining four are to be sold off individually.
And while eGaming Review understands the likelihood is that the Holland Casino brand will be allocated to the buyer of the group of 10 land-based properties, officials have yet to confirm the move.
Sources told eGR this development leaves a question mark over the ownership of the operator’s online brand, for which Playtech was selected to provide its casino and poker platform in December last year.
The privatisation of Holland Casino forms part of the country’s new gaming bill and follow a period of financial turmoil for the operator, which flirted with bankruptcy last year after amassing debts of around $60m.
Jan Suyver, chairman of the Dutch Gaming Authority, said privatisation plans still need to be discussed and approved in parliament.
“What happens when the selling process is starting is hard to say,” Suyver said. “What we now have is a governmental discussion paper, a political proposal, but the end of the story will take some years.”
The initial licensing process is set to begin prior to any sale of Holland Casino, which is most likely to be conducted by the Ministry of Finance with interested parties invited to enrol and bid for the separate businesses under auction.
Both Playtech and Holland Casino declined to comment on this story when contacted by eGaming Review.