Dutch poker players do not need to pay any tax

Good news for the Dutch Poker Community

A court in Den Bosch ruled that the head office of PokerStars.eu is in Malta and players therefore do not have to pay taxes on their winnings.

Controlling poker winnings is a tricky topic. So it is not surprising when it attracts many grinders to the United Kingdom or to Austria. The situation in the Netherlands looks a bit more complicated.

Taxes are not payable if the provider is located within the European Union. The tax and customs administration in the Netherlands (Belastingdienst) still wanted to see money from poker pros who won  at PokerStars.eu, claiming incredible 29%.

As justification, the agency stated that PokerStars is based in the Isle of Man, outside the European Union. The EU license is not relevant for this. The lawsuit has been going on for several years.

However, the review court in Den Bosch confirmed the original verdict. While servers are on the Isle of Man, the headquarters of The Stars Group on Malta is part of the company.

If the tax authority goes up to the Supreme Court, the time must show. Attorney Pepjin le Heux, representing about 100 players, says there are millions of potential taxes. Some of his clients should pay € 500,000 to the state.