Dutch Gaming Authority appoints new director
Marja Appelman to replace interim director Peter Plug in September
The Dutch Gaming Authority has appointed Marja Appelman as its new director taking responsibility for leading the move towards regulated online gambling in The Netherlands.
Appelman, who has previously worked at the Dutch Healthcare Authority and the country’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, will join on 23 September, replacing interim director Peter Plug.
The country published draft egaming regulations in May this year, promising to legalise all products with a target launch date of 1 January 2015. A 20% tax rate is included within the drafts, and from H2 Gambling Capital estimates the country’s online market will be worth 223m by 2015.
The gaming authority has issued a letter to Secretary for Security and Justice Fred Teeven, outlining recommendations to strengthen the bill regarding issues concerning combating gambling addiction, protecting and informing consumers and the prevention of gambling-related illegality and criminality.
The bill was released to industry stakeholders and the consultation period ended earlier this month, with the gaming authority requesting social networks to stop advertising unlicensed egaming operators in the country. Both Facebook and the Dutch-language social network Hyves have cooperated with the request.
It also proposes the privatisation of monopoly operator Holland Casino, which posted losses of 652,000 in 2012, leading to CEO Dick Flink standing down.