On 8 October 2025, Amersfoort will be the scene of an unprecedented mobilisation against illegal gambling. The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) and the RIEC Midden-Nederland will be bringing together police officers, elected representatives and local players for a day of reflection and action.
A day to break the silence on illegal gambling
On 8 October 2025, the town of Amersfoort will be hosting a unique event: a Networking Day organised by the Ksa in partnership with the RIEC Midden-Nederland. Officially focused on public order and security, this meeting tackles a subject that has become inescapable: the proliferation of illegal gambling.
Illegal gambling is more than just impromptu poker nights. Behind these activities are often organised networks. According to the Ksa, illegal gambling has become intertwined with sensitive issues such as addiction, money laundering, the financing of criminal activities and breaches of public order.
Local authorities, on the front line, are already seeing the damage: disorder in certain neighbourhoods, exploitation of vulnerable people, and a feeling of impunity that is fuelling public distrust.
A collective response to a collective challenge
It is precisely to move beyond isolated action that the Ksa has devised this professional networking day. Police officers, local councillors, enforcement officers and institutional partners are invited to pool their experiences. The idea? To create a common front where everyone contributes their part to the prevention and repression system.
RIEC Midden-Nederland, which specialises in coordination between local and national institutions, is playing a key role. Its objective is clear: to transform the sum of individual initiatives into a coherent regional strategy.
The event is not just a series of institutional speeches. Designed as an interactive, practical day, it features a number of themed workshops:
- Recognising the signals: identifying the first signs of illegal gambling activity, sometimes hidden in leisure venues, cafés or shopfronts.
- Ksa in action: understanding the concrete role of the regulatory authority, its scope of intervention and its limits.
- The reality of the sector: taking stock of the legal and illegal market, with a look at digital trends.
- Prevention and enforcement: exchanging information on intervention methods, from supporting vulnerable gamblers to closing down illegal venues.
Each session encourages direct exchanges between professionals. The watchword is clear: learn from each other to act faster and more effectively.
Practical details and outlook
The day will be held from 12 noon to 5pm at Loods 17, a venue designed to host this type of collaborative event. There will be a lunch break, providing an informal setting for strengthening links between participants. To date, more than half the places available have already been taken, a sign of growing interest in the subject.