Some of the largest casino providers on the internet do not appear under a single well-known name at all, but instead behind dozens of changing brands. A good example of this is Dama N.V., a network from the Caribbean that operates more than a hundred online casinos. This time we take a look at what lies behind it and what that means for Austrian players.
One name, more than a hundred casinos
Dama N.V. is a company based in Willemstad on Curaçao, a Caribbean island that belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unlike a classic provider with a single brand, Dama N.V. controls an entire web of more than a hundred online casinos. Many of them are aimed specifically at players who deposit using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The better-known brands in this sphere include names such as BitStarz, PlayAmo, 7BitCasino and mBit.
From SoftSwiss via Direx to Dama
The history of the network is marked by repeated changes of name. It all began in 2014 with a company called SoftSwiss N.V., which both developed casino software and ran casinos itself. In 2016 the operating arm was renamed Direx N.V., and finally Dama N.V. in 2020. The technology behind the brands still comes from the provider SoftSwiss to this day. Such changes are common in this part of the industry, because a name that attracts the attention of regulators can be replaced by a new one without much changing in the actual business.
Crypto as a model and as a hurdle
In recent years the network has spun off parts of its business into separate companies, some on Curaçao and some as far away as Costa Rica. The focus on cryptocurrencies is no coincidence. Payments in Bitcoin or similar currencies bypass banks and are difficult for authorities to block. For the operator this is an advantage, while for affected persons who want to reclaim their money it is an additional hurdle. Several authorities, including the Australian media regulator ACMA, have already publicly warned brands from the Dama sphere and had them blocked.
Why casino losses with Dama can be reclaimed in law
The offers of Dama N.V. are pure online casinos, that is, slot and table games. In Austria, such games require a gambling licence. None of the Dama brands holds such a licence. Under the established case law of the Austrian Supreme Court (OGH), the gaming contract is therefore void, and the lost stakes were collected without any valid basis. In principle, these losses can be reclaimed. A distinction between sports betting and casino does not arise here, because the network is at its core geared towards casino games.
How we assess a case against a Dama casino
As clear as the legal position is in principle, enforcement is just as difficult with these providers. A registered office on Curaçao lies outside the European Union, and there is no agreement between Austria and such locations on the enforcement of civil judgments. If stakes have additionally been paid in cryptocurrency, a judgment often cannot be converted into real money. This places Dama N.V. in precisely the category that we describe in the article Why some online casinos can hardly be sued in practice. We assess every case free of charge and tell you openly whether a reclaim is realistically enforceable. We do not finance a case that produces no money in the end. More on this on the page Online casino and gambling.
How we proceed
The assessment of your case is free of charge. The proceedings against the provider are conducted by cooperating lawyers at our cost, and no upfront payment for lawyers is required from you. In the event of success, R. M. Prozessfinanzierung GmbH retains from 35 percent of the amount obtained, and the remaining amount is paid out to you. A condition for working together is that you stop playing with these providers. More on this on the page Online casino and gambling.
Player protection and help
If you feel that you can no longer keep your own gambling behaviour under control, you will find anonymous advice and concrete points of contact among the help services of the Federal Ministry of Finance. This help is independent of any reclaim.
Note
The information on companies, brands and figures in this article comes from publicly accessible internet research. We accept no liability for its accuracy and completeness.
Sources
- Curaçao Gaming Control Board, Online Gaming License Registry
- Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), formal warnings against Dama N.V.
- Louisiana Gaming Control Board, register of illegal operators
- Austrian Gambling Act and case law of the Supreme Court