The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) has announced Peter-Paul de Goeij will step down as director amid a change in strategy.
De Goeij, who has been with NOGA since 2019, will leave his role as of 1 July. NOGA stated De Goeij would be emigrating away from the Netherlands.
Eric Konings will serve as interim director having been involved with NOGA since 2022. Konings will be supported in his role by former Staatsloterij chief executive Frans van Steenis.
Remko de Boer, the NOGA board of directors’ chairman, praised De Goeij for the work he had undertaken over his tenure.
“We are very grateful to Peter-Paul for his efforts over the past five years, in which he has excellently shaped the transformation from SpeelVerresponsible to NOGA,” De Boer said. “This has enabled NOGA to properly represent the interests of its members, in a tumultuous time for the industry.”
De Goeij added: “The past few years have been hectic, with the opening of the Dutch online gaming market as an absolute highlight.
“I am now stepping down, but I am convinced that the sector will continue to make efforts to provide a safe and responsible gaming offering. That is and remains the best way to achieve optimal consumer protection.”
Strategic changes for NOGA
NOGA outlined De Goeij’s departure provides the organisation with an opportunity to undergo a “strategic reorientation” amid challenging times in the Netherlands.
NOGA said the reorientation would focus on the challenges in the Netherlands sector, as well as the direction the organisation plans to head in.
In his interim role, Konings says he will work with Van Steenis to shape the reorientation of NOGA.
“The industry is facing some major challenges in the current political and social climate, and I look forward to helping NOGA members achieve this,” Konings explained.
“In addition, NOGA is explicitly considering how the representation of the industry’s interests can be organised in a future-proof manner.”
Van Steenis said: “A lot is happening in the gaming sector at the moment. Licensed providers, policymakers and society benefit from more clarity and better cooperation. I want to explore how bridges can be built between all those involved in the gambling dossier.”
Uncertain times in the Netherlands
De Goeij’s departure comes in the midst of a number of changes and proposals in the Netherlands’ gambling industry.
Untargeted advertising was banned in July 2023. Then, the house voted to prohibit all online gambling advertising in April this year.
Also included alongside the online gambling ad bill was a ban on “high-risk gambling”, including online slots.
Despite the house vote, though, it remains unclear whether the law will be approved. It had been sent to the Netherlands minister for legal protection Franc Weerwind to review the law. However, Weerwind is expected to leave his position soon amid governmental changes.
Another potential change causing controversy in the Netherlands is a proposal to increase the gambling tax to 37.8%. This is after four political parties included the alteration in a coalition agreement.
The rise in tax would provide the state treasury with an extra €202m (£173.3m/$219.6m) annually in gambling tax contributions. The four parties involved were the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB.