Gambling reform on hold after Minister Struycken’s resignation
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29 Aug 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes On 22 August 2025, Teun Struycken, Secretary of State for Legal Protection, announced his resignation. This decision comes amid an already tense political climate, following the collapse of the coalition government in June and the announcement of early elections in October.
An unexpected political shake-up
Struycken, a member of the NSC, resigned in protest against the government’s decision to block sanctions against Israel, a disagreement that also led several other cabinet members to throw in the towel.
Before leaving, Struycken was at the forefront of a major overhaul of the online gambling landscape in the Netherlands. He had advocated for a series of strong measures:
- Raising the minimum age for playing online casino games from 18 to 21.
- Introducing mandatory financial capacity tests for players exceeding existing deposit limits.
- Tightening restrictions on digital advertising, including untargeted ads on social media, influencers, television and streaming services.
To date, the deposit limits set by the authority (Ksa) are €300 for 18-24 year olds and €700 for those over 24. This is a significant difference that he intended to rethink.
However, this reform, already in political limbo since the collapse of the coalition, is now on hold. Struycken himself pointed out that, although his proposals are still being considered, his departure and the upcoming election are jeopardising their progress.
A vulnerable sector in limbo
Teun Struycken’s resignation marks a break in the Dutch online gambling reform project. While he was the main proponent of a demanding programme to regulate iGaming, there is now a political vacuum.
The reforms are currently on hold and their prospects depend on the country’s political future. The rapidly growing sector is closely watching the election calendar and waiting to see who will lead its reform. In the meantime, regulatory uncertainty and vulnerability are likely to continue.