2021 Gaming in Holland Conference: Charting your course in a new regulatory environment
Join us on September 28 in Amsterdam at the historic Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky for the 2021 Gaming in Holland Conference. Hear the very latest news – only three days before the Dutch regulated online market finally opens!
The long-awaited opening of the regulated online market is the start of a once-in-a-generation event that will fundamentally change the make-up of the Dutch gambling market. If you would like to get an idea of what to expect from both the regulator and the Netherlands’ leading operators, this year's GiH Conference is not to be missed!
Our preliminary speaker lineup includes all major decision makers:
René Jansen, Chair, Netherlands Gambling Authority
Erwin van Lambaart, CEO, Holland Casino
Niels Onkenhout, CEO, Nederlandse Loterij
Eric Olders, CEO, JVH Gaming
Peter-Paul de Goeij, Managing Director, NOGA
Sanne Muijser, Secretary General, VAN Kansspelen
Justin Franssen, Head of Gaming & Gambling Practice Group, Kalff Katz & Franssen
The 2021 GiH Conference will take place concurrently with iGB Live and iGB Affiliate, which have been scheduled for September 28 – October 1, also in Amsterdam. IGB already announced a record number of registrations for its Amsterdam events. View the provisional attendee list here. Combine three evets with one visit!
Don't wait and register today for the 2021 Gaming in Holland Conference:
René Jansen appointed chair of the Gaming Regulators European Forum
René Jansen, chair of the Netherlands Gambling Authority has been appointed chair of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF).
GREF is the European association of gaming regulators and has 41 members from 34 jurisdictions.
“Protecting consumers, preventing gambling addiction and combating illegality and criminality are high priorities for all regulators. By exchanging experiences, we can learn from each other,” Jansen said.
Report: Dutch mental health lobby promotes lottery games
Dutch mental health lobby organizations receive millions of euros from lottery operators and, in exchange, promote their donors’ games, according to investigative reporting platform Follow the Money.
Specifically, MIND Platform (previously: Landelijk Platform GGZ), which also represents the interests of problem gamblers, received €4.9m over the past four years from Nederlandse Loterij and Vriendenloterij. Remarkably, the website of MIND Platform contains a page calling on visitors to buy lottery tickets from these donors.
Similarly, the Vereniging Samenwerkende Gezondheidsfondsen (“Association of Cooperating Health Funds” - VSG), of which MIND Platform is a member, received €28.9m in 2019 from various gambling and lottery operators, including state-owned Nederlandse Loterij, Postcode Loterij, and Vriendenloterij.
Much to the surprise of several addiction treatment specialists, problem gambling is not listed as a priority in the VSG's most recent annual reports, contrary to, e.g., mental health and video game addiction.
“To focus on video game addiction, but not gambling addiction is simply inexplicable,” one addiction therapist commented.
In response to parliamentary questions, Minister for Medical Care and Sports, Tamara van Ark promised that she would take up these matters with the aforementioned health organizations.
Nederlandse Loterij released this statement.
Upcoming events
The following events may be of interest to the GiH community.
The third edition of CasinoBeats Summit will return to Malta from 13 – 15 July, 2021, as part of Summer iGaming Week organized in partnership with KPMG and Gaming Malta.
iGB Live and iGB Affiliate have also been moved to 28 September – 1 October, 2021, but will still take place in Amsterdam!
SiGMA Europe has been rescheduled to 16 – 18 November, 2021.
The Betting on Sports America conference and expo has been scheduled for 30 November – 2 December, 2021 and will bring together all the major players in the fast-growing North American sports betting industry.
The World Gaming Executive Summit is returning live on 6 – 8 December, 2021 at the W Hotel, Barcelona.
ICE London and iGB Affiliate London have been postponed to 1 – 3 February, 2022.
Webinar report | VAT rules for Netherlands-licensed operators, affiliates, and service providers
During yesterday's Gaming in Holland webinar, VAT experts Martijn Jaegers and Richard Meerstra addressed the tax implications of the Dutch VAT exemption on gambling services.
This exemption, and in particular, the resulting inability of licensed operators to deduct the VAT charged by their suppliers from their own tax liability, could potentially have a significant impact on costs and cash flows.
The webinar has been recorded and is now available here: https://bit.ly/2S89yOG
Webinar overview
During the webinar, our speakers addressed the following questions:
1. 2:23: What is the VAT treatment of licensed online betting and gambling activities in the Netherlands? (Martijn Jaegers)
2. 7:24: What are the main consequences of the VAT exemption for companies providing (online) betting and gambling activities? (Richard Meerstra)
3. 11:58: Will the VAT exemption for licensed operators also impact affiliates and other providers of (marketing) services? (Martijn Jaegers)
4. 18:51: What are the available solutions to prevent these negative VAT effects? (Martijn Jaegers)
5. 23:14: Are there any specific considerations for companies that generally only operate in other countries than the Netherlands? (Richard Meerstra)
6. 23:45: Audience Q&A
Contact
If you would like to contact our speakers directly, please find their contact details below:
· Martijn Jaegers, Head of the Indirect Tax Practice, Taxand Netherlands: martijn.jaegers@taxand.nl
· Richard Meerstra, tax lawyer, Taxand Netherlands: richard.meerstra@taxand.nl
Other news
The Netherlands Gambling Authority has published a FAQ on addiction prevention training requirements for land-based casino employees.
Netherlands Gambling Authority chair René Jansen discussed the current situation regarding the regulation of the Dutch online gambling market during a presentation to EGBA members.
Land-based casino and arcade hall operator SuperGame has agreed to become the new main sponsor of MVV, which competes at the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands.
Following widespread criticism, Belgium's public broadcaster VRT decided it will not be showing betting ads during broadcasts of the UEFA European Football Championship and Olympics.
Paddy Power will move into long-form content through its new sitcom “The VAR Room,” which will be broadcast on TV and streaming services.
YouTube has decided to ban some ad verticals, including gambling, from buying masthead ads.
Nearly two thirds of adults in the UK are in favor of a blanket ban on gambling advertising, according to a recent poll.
31% of French football fans are expected to place a bet on the UEFA European Football Championship, survey data from French regulator ANJ shows.
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has expressed concerns over Italy’s new proposals for online gambling licensing which seek to reduce the number of online gambling licensees in the country by two thirds.
Kindred Group has partnered with Zafty Intelligence to launch “Bettor Time,” an app designed to encourage responsible gambling.
Reddit Inc. co-founder Alexis Ohanian is leading a $4 million seed-funding round for the sports-betting startup Wagr, an app looking to wed social media with a fast-growing corner of the gambling market.
Asian American Entertainment Corporation is suingLas Vegas Sands for $12bn in Macau court.