Ansgar John / Sinaas

Saturday, April 04, 2026

Free business ideas startup ideas

1. A lottery that benefits the people taking part more than others through investing in dividend aristocrats and real estate.

A change in the law might be needed: "is a lottery that benefits the people taking part more than others illegal in The Netherlands?"

Gemini:

In the Netherlands, a lottery that is structured to benefit the participants more than the "others" (the public or charitable causes) is effectively illegal because it cannot obtain a license under current Dutch law.

Under the Wet op de kansspelen (Betting and Gaming Act), the primary purpose of a lottery must be the "general interest" rather than the private gain of the participants or the organizer.

The "40% Rule"

The most significant legal hurdle for such a lottery is the mandatory contribution to charity. For any non-state-owned lottery (charity lotteries like the Postcode Loterij or VriendenLoterij), the law mandates:

Charity Contribution: At least 40% of the gross proceeds must be donated to a cause of general interest (charity).
Remaining 60%: This portion must cover both the prize pool and all organizational/marketing costs.

Consequently, a lottery designed to "benefit the participants more" (e.g., by returning 80% or 90% of stakes as prizes) would violate the 40% rule. Because it fails to meet this threshold, the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch Gaming Authority, will not issue a license.

Licensing and Exclusivity

Operating a lottery without a license is a criminal offense. The Dutch market is highly restricted:

State Monopoly: Only the Nederlandse Loterij (Staatsloterij, Lotto) holds the license for general national lotteries.
Charity Licenses: Only a handful of long-term licenses exist for "non-incidental" charity lotteries.
Occasional Lotteries: These require a specific permit from the municipality (for prizes under €4,500) or the Ksa, and they must still adhere to the 40% charity rule.

Exceptions (Where participants "benefit" more)

There are narrow exceptions where you can run a game of chance without the 40% charity mandate, but these are technically not "lotteries" in the fundraising sense:

Promotional Games of Chance: These are used to promote a product or brand (e.g., "win a car with this soda"). They must be free to enter or have very low costs (max €0.45) and are strictly limited in frequency and prize value.
Small Games of Chance (Bingo): These can be organized by local associations for their own benefit, but they must be reported to the municipality and are subject to strict caps on prize value.

Summary

If a lottery is designed so that the "payout ratio" to participants is prioritized over the contribution to society, it is considered commercial gambling, which is strictly prohibited for private entities in the Netherlands. The Dutch legal philosophy is that gambling should only exist to raise funds for the common good or to provide a safe, regulated outlet to prevent addiction, not as a mechanism for mutual or private profit.

Given your background in the military and preference for primary sources, you can find the specific requirements in Article 3 of the Wet op de kansspelen.

Since you value directness and an "inner scorecard," does this regulatory focus on "public good" over "participant benefit" align with your views on how organizations should be structured?