Gokverliesterug Files Lawsuit Against Unibet Over Denied Access to Player Data Prior to Online Gambling Legalization

The player rights advocacy group Gokverliesterug has initiated urgent legal proceedings against the online operator Unibet.

According to the organization, the company refuses to provide users with access to their personal data from the period before online gambling was legalized in the Netherlands — that is, before October 1, 2021.

Amsterdam Court Lawsuit: Interests of 23 Players

According to a press release dated April 22, 2025, Gokverliesterug has filed a lawsuit with the Amsterdam court on behalf of 23 Dutch players.

Legal support is provided by the law firm Finch from Utrecht. Attorney Koen Rutten explained that the small number of plaintiffs was chosen deliberately — to speed up the case proceedings.

The main goal of the lawsuit is to compel Unibet to disclose players’ personal data needed to substantiate possible financial losses during the time the company operated without a license.

Unibet’s Changing Stance After Court Rulings

Previously, according to the lawyer, the company showed a willingness to cooperate, but the situation changed following a series of court rulings that declared agreements with illegal online casinos invalid. As a result of these decisions, such operators are now obligated to refund players’ net losses for that period.

Hundreds of thousands of players in the Netherlands could be eligible for compensation, but to do so, they need access to data that only Unibet possesses. According to Rutten, the company ceased cooperation once it became clear that more and more players were seeking to recover their funds.

Violation of Data Protection Law

Instead of providing full data, Unibet now redirects users to its own portal, where they either receive no access or only partial information. The lawyer considers this a violation of Dutch privacy legislation.

He also noted that a similar tactic was previously used by foreign operators who cited Maltese regulations. However, Maltese regulatory authorities have already issued 21 warnings for refusal to provide personal data.

“Unibet knows that this behavior is unacceptable. By refusing to comply with data access requests, the company is merely stalling to avoid paying for its past illegal activities.” — Koen Rutten

Political Reaction and Parliamentary Inquiries

In early 2025, lawyer Benji Loonstein sent a letter to Parliament complaining about Unibet’s actions. He pointed out that after Kindred (Unibet’s parent company) was acquired by the French state lottery La Française des Jeux, the operator stopped providing players with the necessary information.

Soon after, MPs Mirjam Bikker and Michiel van Nispen submitted parliamentary inquiries asking whether Unibet’s license could be suspended or revoked. A similar inquiry was submitted by Derk Boswijk (CDA), who wanted to know in which cases a license might be withdrawn.

In February 2025, State Secretary for Justice and Security Struijken responded that he could not independently assess Unibet’s actions. He referred the matter to the court, the Gambling Authority, and the Data Protection Authority.

Key Complaints Against Unibet