Holland Casino is seeking to bolster support against the upcoming tax rises being proposed by the government in the Netherlands.
Central to the support, the casino is looking to get the backing of the trade unions as it warns of the impact of the tax rises on the sector.
The rises come following the 2025 Budget, which was presented by Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen, who is serving under the cabinet of Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
It’s a budget that saw the casino announce plans to reduce operating hours across its venues in Rotterdam and Amsterdam starting next year. In addition, its branch in Zandvoort has already been confirmed for closure by February 2025.
Petra de Ruiter, Holland Casino CEO, previously stated on restructuring plans in the region: “For Holland Casino, the closure is essential to continue building a sustainable future for the company, in which we can continue to contribute to a safe and responsible gaming climate.”
Further battling against the plans, the casino is now seeking collaboration with trade unions in the country to try and build up a counter-stance against the tax hikes.
The news was shared by Dutch trade union De Unie. One of the conditions of the union is for Holland Casino to launch the voluntary departure scheme (VAA), which is part of the Netherlands social plan.
As a result of the tax elevation, the baseline will gradually go up from the current 30.5% to 34.2% in 2025, with a second increase following in 2026 to bring the income tax up to 37.8%.
The hikes were formed as part of Schoof’s goal to reduce gambling harm in the country by opening up additional revenue streams to fund prevention and treatment campaigns.
It is all part of the ongoing wider reforms of the Dutch Remote Gambling Act (KOA), first undertaken by the former Legal Protections Minister Franc Weerwind.
