Michel Groothuizen has expressed that there will be a “continuity and inevitability” to Dutch gambling reforms, regardless of government changes.

Writing his first post as new Chairman of Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands Gambling Authority, Groothuizen underlined his commitment to concluding the reforms of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA).

Having taken office on 1 July, Groothuizen will oversee the remaining phases of the KOA review, under a new coalition government.

Despite changes KSA agents remain in place to finalise a near-three-year process to overhaul KOA laws, which launched the Netherlands online gambling marketplace in October 2021.

As noted: “The new ministers will also use largely the same underlying structure in the departments. And civil servants will support them, enthusiastically or not, but above all loyally, and provide them with expert advice, thereby contributing to a stable and predictable national government.

“And that is a good thing, because otherwise..

GambleAware has published findings from a study that looked into the engagement between people from marginalised communities and gambling.

The research, conducted by The National Centre for Social Research, suggests these groups may be more likely to use gambling as a ‘coping mechanism’.

This was found using data from 138 previous studies to explore how socially excluded groups are impacted by gambling.

Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive at GambleAware, said: “Our new report shows how people from marginalised communities, who are already dealing with many different issues in their lives, struggle with gambling harms.

“There needs to be more engagement with these communities to build awareness around the risks of gambling harm, and service providers need to ensure they can appropriately meet the needs of people in different circumstances.”

The research looked into several groups, including people who experience or are at risk of homelessness, older people, people living with disabilitie..

The New Zealand government has initiated plans to regulate online casinos, aiming to have the new regulatory framework in place by early 2026.

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden stated that the government has agreed to a high-level approach for online casino regulation. This approach aims to minimise harm, support tax collection, and provide consumer protections for New Zealanders.

Van Velden explained that there will be a licensing system for online casinos. Operators must comply with specific criteria before offering services to New Zealanders. It will be illegal for unlicensed operators to provide services.

“We regulate most forms of gambling domestically through licensing. This regulation is not intended to increase gambling but to ensure operators meet consumer protection and harm minimization requirements, as well as paying taxes,” Van Velden said.

The government will allocate a limited number of licenses via auction, each lasting three years and conditional on me..

The National Gaming Authority of France (ANJ) has announced a new partnership with the Addiction Federation.

In 2019, France’s Gaming Observatory estimated the number of at-risk players at 1.4 million, with nearly 400,000 being at a pathological level. This means that problem gambling generates over 38% of the sector’s turnover and 21% for excessive players alone.

It was Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, President of the ANJ, and Catherine Delorme, President of the Addiction Federation, who agreed to the deal last week.

The partnership now specifically looks to strengthen the prevention of excessive gambling and the protection of minors, through the implementation of joint actions.

Meanwhile, according to new data from the ANJ, sports betting in the country grew 24% as €5bn (£4.2bn) was placed on sports during Q1 2024.

In its 2024/2026 strategic plan, the organisation has prioritised reducing the share and number of excessive gamblers and to strengthen the ability of gamblers to better c..