“This is no longer a side issue”: Netherlands and Belgium opt for robust player protection
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22 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The winds of change are blowing through gambling supervision in both the Netherlands and Belgium. Two regulatory authorities are making a conscious choice to deploy more expertise and manpower to better protect players.
Belgium simultaneously establishes a new supervisory team
The structure at the Belgian Gambling Commission has also been renewed. Several independent experts were recently appointed to the new Committee of Experts. This team consists of specialists in fields such as law, public health, digital communication, and criminology. They will critically monitor policy, compliance, and player protection.
Chairwoman Magali Clavie emphasizes that the composition of this team is no coincidence. By fostering greater diversity in background and experience, the Commission aims to respond better to the evolution of the gambling market. The new experts are tasked not only with control but also with contributing ideas regarding legislation and improving market safety.
Netherlands draws expertise from healthcare
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) has appointed Floor van Bakkum as the new manager of player protection. She will begin her duties on March 1st in a position directly linked to the organization’s executive leadership.
Van Bakkum joins from Jellinek Addiction Care, where she spent years working on the prevention of gambling addiction. She brings with her practical experience, policy expertise, and knowledge of vulnerable target groups.
According to the regulator, this move aligns with the supervisory agenda for 2026, in which player protection takes center stage. Van Bakkum intends to use her background in the healthcare sector to contribute to better supervision of online gambling. She believes that minors, young adults, and high-risk players deserve more protection than is currently the case.
Why this moment matters
These adjustments do not come out of the blue. In both countries, there has been long-standing criticism regarding a lack of decisive action concerning gambling problems. Examples include young people losing large sums of money or license holders failing to fulfill their duty of care. The regulators now aim to act more swiftly and provide better oversight.
This requires people who understand how addiction works and who can recognize signals before it is too late. Both the Netherlands and Belgium have therefore chosen to strengthen their ranks with substantive experts and independent oversight. In doing so, they aim to limit harm to players and increase the reliability of the market.