Dutch gambling regulator launches streamlined governance model for 2026

• Kansspelautoriteit implements a new board structure with one full-time chair and two part-time directors.
• Internal operations consolidated into three directorates focusing on player protection, licensing, and digitalisation.
• Vice-chair Bernadette van Buchem to depart after 40-year public service career.

The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ gambling regulator, has transitioned to a new governance structure designed to strengthen oversight and respond to the increasing complexity of the Dutch gambling market.

Effective from 1 January 2026, the KSA operates under a revised board comprising one full-time chair supported by two part-time directors. The reform comes as the regulator consolidates its internal departments into three principal directorates.

Groothuizen remains at the helm

Chairman Michel Groothuizen remains in charge of day-to-day operations, acting as the organisation’s primary leader both domestically and internationally. He will be the sole full-time executive board member.

Two part-time board members will join to provide strategic expertise in digitalisation, governance and integrity. The regulator confirmed recruitment for these positions is at an advanced stage, with formal announcements expected soon.

The changes help the KSA sharpen its mandate on improving player protection, digitalisation and data-driven supervision.

“This change will make the KSA a modern, agile organization that oversees a rapidly changing gambling market,” the regulator stated.

Three new operational directorates

The KSA will establish three directorates responsible for day-to-day management from 1 January 2026.

Player Protection and Management Advice will be headed by Roos Lawant from 1 February 2026. This division will focus on harm prevention, player safeguards and advisory functions that inform regulatory policy and market interventions.

Permits and Supervision will be led by Ella Seijsener, currently working at the KSA. This unit will ensure continuity in oversight of licensing, compliance monitoring and enforcement actions.

Digitalisation, Analysis and Business Operations will be led by Daniël Palomo van Es from 1 February 2026. This directorate will oversee data-driven supervision, digital infrastructure and the internal systems supporting the regulator’s expanding analytical capabilities.

Groothuizen and Seijsener will assume the responsibilities of the directors during January to ensure a smooth transition.

Van Buchem concludes distinguished career

The restructure means the departure of Vice-chair Bernadette van Buchem, who has served on the board since 2018.

“The KSA will miss Bernadette very much. With her departure, the public sector is saying goodbye to an experienced director with a broad track record,” the regulator stated.

Van Buchem is concluding a 40-year career across the Dutch public sector, including senior roles at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Authority for Consumers and Markets.

Addressing market complexity

The regulator said the new structure is intended to respond to the increasing complexity of gambling oversight, driven by technological developments such as artificial intelligence, the growth of illegal gambling supply and intensified international regulatory cooperation.

The directors will jointly assume operational management, whilst the board will focus more explicitly on strategic direction, framework setting and supervision of statutory duties and social objectives.

The governance changes come at a pivotal moment for Dutch gambling, as the Netherlands prepares for a broader legislative overhaul in 2026. The Tweede Kamer maintains its pledge to repeal and replace the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), the framework which launched the regulated online gambling market in 2020.

Progress on reform was paused following the collapse of the Dutch conservative coalition government leading to snap elections in November 2025.

Strengthening enforcement in challenging market

The governance changes come as the KSA intensifies its enforcement activities in response to growing challenges in the Dutch gambling market. The regulator has demonstrated consistent action against operators breaching advertising and player protection regulations.

In recent months, the KSA has imposed substantial penalties on operators for regulatory breaches. Unibet was fined €4m for failing to protect players, marking one of the largest enforcement actions in the market.

JOI Gaming received a €400,000 penalty for using role models in advertising, following strict rules prohibiting celebrities and influencers from promoting gambling.

The regulator has also warned social media influencers of potential penalties for breaching advertising restrictions, demonstrating its commitment to protecting vulnerable groups.

Channelisation crisis drives reform urgency

The restructuring responds to an alarming trend: the illegal gambling market has outpaced the regulated sector for the first time, with channelisation rates falling below 50% of gambling revenues.

Latest audits revealed offshore operators captured €617m in the first half of 2025, whilst the legal market generated €600m during the same period. This represents a 16% decline in regulated market revenue compared to late 2024.

Groothuizen has acknowledged the scale of the regulatory challenge, stating that future gambling policy must explicitly account for severe gambling-related risks, including suicide and minimising financial harms.

Despite strong player channelisation of around 94%, the Netherlands faces a critical problem: the remaining 6% who use offshore platforms are the highest-spending players, seeking better odds and bonuses without the friction of Dutch player protection measures.

The forthcoming government has been urgently warned to fix regulatory discrepancies and product restrictions that have severely weakened channelisation since regulation began in 2020.

Tougher licence renewal requirements ahead

The restructuring comes as the first wave of five-year licences expires in October 2026. Operators reapplying will face tougher scrutiny under the KSA’s updated framework.

The regulator has tightened online licensing rules ahead of 2026 renewals, requiring each applicant to submit a detailed exit plan explaining how they would wind down Dutch operations if their licence is not renewed.

Exit plans must address customer payouts, data handling and marketing cessation. Applicants must also provide comprehensive anti-money laundering risk assessments under the WWFT and demonstrate compliance with any previous court rulings.

The KSA has explicitly stated that behaviour during the initial licence period will directly inform renewal decisions. Operators who have faced enforcement actions or demonstrated poor compliance may find their applications rejected.

International cooperation intensifies

Groothuizen has consistently advocated for deeper international cooperation, suggesting the creation of a Europe-wide body dedicated to combating illegal gambling, similar to Interpol.

In November 2025, the KSA and UK Gambling Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share intelligence on illegal gambling.

According to industry analysis, six of the top 20 unlicensed operators targeting UK players also appear in the Netherlands’ top 10 illegal sites, highlighting the cross-border nature of the illegal gambling challenge.

These are sophisticated businesses running on solid technical infrastructure, often licensed in jurisdictions like Curaçao or Malta but actively targeting markets where they lack authorisation.

At a Madrid summit in late 2025, regulators from Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and the UK formalised an agreement to share data on illegal operators and coordinate pressure campaigns against digital platforms and payment processors.

The joint statement committed to systematic information-sharing, coordinated enforcement against payment processors and hosting providers, and knowledge exchange on investigation techniques.

The KSA has also signed memorandums with regulators from Belgium (Kansspelcommissie), France (Autorité Nationale des Jeux), Sweden (Spelinspektionen) and Malta (Malta Gaming Authority).

Legal victories support regulatory approach

The KSA’s regulatory approach received validation when the EU Court upheld the EGBA victory in the Dutch lottery case, supporting restrictions on state lottery monopolies and reinforcing the framework for commercial gambling regulation.

The new governance model reflects the regulator’s determination to modernise Dutch gambling oversight and position itself to address technological, competitive and social challenges facing the market over the coming years.