Unibet faces Dutch drama of €75m consumer claim
Summary
Dutch consumer-claims organisation Dynamiet has filed a collective compensation claim worth about €75m against Unibet Netherlands, representing 2,500 players who lost money on Unibet before the Remote Gambling Act (KOA) took effect on 1 October 2021. The action, led by Dynamiet cofounder Deepak Thakoerdien, targets Kindred Group and Risepoint and argues that Unibet operated unlawfully in the Netherlands by accepting Dutch players without a licence and failing mandatory player-safety checks such as KYC.
The claim will be lodged in stages (initially 1,000 players, then another 1,500) at the District Court of The Hague. Dynamiet says losses were “unlawfully obtained” and points to a 2019 KSA fine against Unibet as evidence of deliberate wrongdoing. The group self-finances on a no-cure-no-fee basis (33% fee if successful) and has plans to pursue similar claims against other offshore operators, representing up to €100m across several brands.
Key Points
- Dynamiet has filed a €75m collective claim against Unibet NL on behalf of 2,500 players over pre-licence activity.
- The action accuses Unibet (Kindred Group and subsidiary Risepoint) of targeting Dutch players without a valid licence and bypassing mandatory checks like KYC.
- Dynamiet will submit claims in stages, starting with 1,000 players; combined alleged losses approximate €75m.
- The case is before the District Court of The Hague and could establish retroactive liability precedent in Dutch gambling law.
- Dynamiet operates independently on a no-cure-no-fee model (33% commission on success) and is pursuing similar actions against other offshore operators representing ~€100m and ~5,000 players.
Context and relevance
This lawsuit comes after the KOA regime began in October 2021 and follows a prior 2019 fine from the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) against Unibet for illegal operations. While the Dutch parliament opted not to make tax liabilities retroactive for pre-market activity, the KSA imposed cooling-off measures and delayed some market entries. Legal commentators say a successful claim could open the door to further mass restitution claims in the Netherlands and potentially influence retroactivity debates and operator liabilities across regulated European markets.
Why should I read this?
Look — if you work in regulation, compliance, or run an operator, this could become a proper headache or a legal milestone. It’s not just legal theatre: a win here would mean firms can be chased for pre-licence takings, and that changes risk calculations and due diligence forever. If you want to know whether historic market behaviour can bite you back, read this.
Source
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/regions/europe/unibet-nl-consumer-75m/