The Netherlands could soon become the latest nation to legalize online gambling following the passage of historic legislation by the European country’s House Of Representatives on Thursday.

According to a statement from Amsterdam-based gaming consultancy Revenue Engineers, the Dutch Remote Gaming Bill ratified by the lower house is now expected to be “rubber stamped” by the Senate later this year, which means that its regulations could come into force as early as next year.

Revenue Engineers stated that the legislation, which is due to be welcomed by online gaming firms “looking to make a move” into the Dutch market, will pave the way for The Netherlands to operate a fully regulated online gambling market while creating a “wealth of new opportunities for operators and providers”.

The Dutch Remote Gaming Bill was passed only after a number of amendments were approved including one that will prohibit lotteries and land-based casino operators from utilizing existing player databases in order to promote their online offerings. A second is to require brick-and-mortar casinos to erect physical entry and player identification barriers as well as contribute to a problem gambling fund.

“We are absolutely delighted to see the Dutch Remote Gaming Bill finally pass through parliament,” read a statement from Jaspar Hoekert from Revenue Engineers. “While there are some aspects of the legislation that are not ideal, this is still a very workable framework and I am confident that The Netherlands will quickly emerge as one of Europe’s most important gaming jurisdictions. For any operators or providers looking to make the most of this new opportunity, it is important to act quickly and seek local expertise.”