Lotteries in Europe

When it comes to the free movement of goods and services lotteries are something of an exception in Europe. National borders and local legislation determine and restrict the market and national governments implement policies that impose conditions designed to limit the availability of games of chance. The European Commission is currently conducting investigations in several member states - including the Netherlands - to determine whether these countries meet these conditions.

Given that this is the case and with lawsuits being pursued in different countries there is now increasing pressure to admit foreign lottery operators to the Dutch market. Yet it would be a shame for the borders to disappear as a result of this pressure. It would be far better for them to disappear because uniform and consistent regulations have been introduced for all countries. The special position of charity lotteries also needs to be taken into account. In order to be able conduct and influence the debate about games of chance at a European level, the Dutch charity lotteries were involved in setting up the Association of Charity Lotteries in the European Union (ACLEU).

10 billion raised for charity

Other charity lotteries have since joined this international association. Calculations suggest that as much as 10 billion euros could be raised every year if every member state of the EU had a charity lottery. With this message ACLEU represents the interests of charity lotteries and their beneficiaries in Brussels and in the member states of the EU. For more information see the ACLEU website