Holland Casino names Jan Paul van Heemskerck van Beest as head of online division
The state-controlled casino operator has restructured its operations.
The Netherlands.- Holland Casino has announced an internal reorganisation. It’s created the new role of director of online gambling. Jan Paul van Heemskerck van Beest, currently director of guest and product development, has been assigned to the position.
Meanwhile, director of digital transformation Jeroen Verkroost will leave the company April 1, and his role will cease to exist. Holland Casino Online’s IT department will now operate under director of casino technology and operations support Pieter Boers.
Holland Casino has been adjusting to adapt to the rise in gambling tax in the Netherlands, reducing operating hours at casinos in Amsterdam and Rotterdam and close its casino in Zandvoort. CEO Petra de Ruiter said the closure is essential to “continue building a sustainable future for the company, in which we can continue to contribute to a safe and responsible gaming climate”.
The Dutch gambling tax rate rose from 30.5 per cent to 34.2 per cent this year and will rise again to 37.8 per cent next year. Meanwhile, the government is considering further gambling reforms, which could include raising the minimum age for online slots from 18 to 21. The national gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) is expected to be granted more powers to tackle unlicensed gambling.
In a round-table discussion last week, Helma Lodders, chair of VNLOK, presented the views of industry bodies. A top priority for the trade bodies VNLOK and NOGA is to avoid a ban on all gambling advertising. The Netherlands banned untargeted gambling ads in July 2023, but Teun Struycken, the minister for legal protection in the Netherlands, has suggested that stricter rules will be introduced to limit the appeal of online gambling specifically.
