THE HAGUE, 09/09/09 - The Netherlands and all other EU member states are allowed to ban Internet gambling sites. The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that a ban can be justified to combat fraud and crime.

The EU court acknowledges that a ban is a restriction on the freedom to provide a service. But such a restriction can be justified by pressing reasons in the general interest. Fighting crime is such a general interest, in the view of the judges.

The court was ruling in a case brought by the Portuguese government against a Internet lottery from the company Bwin. The verdict is however also important to the Netherlands, because The Hague also frustrates gambling facilities provided by parties not in state hands.

The verdict is according to the justice ministry in The Hague "a clear message" to banks and credit card companies that do business with organisations that operate illegal gambling sites in the Netherlands. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin has called on them to block the accounts of the providers. The Netherlands Bankers Association (NVB) has so far refused to do so.

The company Betfair is fighting the ban on its offering sports prize questions and betting on the horses in the Netherlands via the Council of State. Ladbrokes is fighting the entire Dutch gambling policy at the Supreme Court. Both the Council of State and the Supreme Court have presented these cases to the European Court of Justice.