Dutch gambling minister resigns leaving reforms in doubt
Teun Struycken is reported to have handed in is resignation as a protest.
The Netherlands.- It’s been reported that Teun Struycken has resigned from his position as legal protections secretary in the Dutch government, a position that gave him responsibility for gambling in the Netherlands. Dutch media report that his decision was due to a veto on sanctions against Israel, which has led several cabinet officials to step down.
Struycken’s move comes ahead of an early general election, which was called for October following the collapse of the four-way VVD, PVV, BBB and NSC coalition government in June. Struycken, a member of the NSC, was appointed in July 2024 and had retained his position amid the turmoil.
Struycken had said that the proposed Dutch gambling reforms that he outlined in February remained on the table. However, his resignation casts new doubt on the chances of amendments to Dutch gambling legislation advancing any time soon.
Struycken’s proposed reforms included raising the minimum age for online casino gaming from 18 to 21. He was also eyeing mandatory financial tests for players who want to increase their deposit limit beyond the limits introduced by the Dutch gambling regulator, the KSA, in October (currently €300 for players aged between 18 and 24 and €700 for those aged over 24). More restrictions for digital ads were also being considered.
