The Dutch Minister of Justice, Teun Struycken, has submitted his resignation, casting uncertainty over the gambling regulation and reform affairs he was responsible for. According to local media, Struycken's resignation was in protest against the government's decision on sanctions related to Israel, triggering a series of resignations among other cabinet officials.
Struycken's departure comes against the backdrop of an impending early general election in the Netherlands. The four-party coalition government, consisting of the Liberal Party, the Freedom Party, the Labour Party, and the National Security Committee, collapsed in June this year, with a new round of elections expected to take place in October. As a member of the National Security Committee, Struycken was appointed in July 2024 and has maintained his position during this turbulent political period.
Although Struycken had proposed a gambling reform plan in February, which he said was still under discussion, his sudden departure casts a shadow over the prospects of advancing the revision of Dutch gambling laws, which were already in progress.
The reforms he advocated included raising the minimum age for online casino games from 18 to 21; implementing mandatory financial reviews for players wishing to increase their deposit limits (currently, the Dutch Gambling Authority KSA sets the limit at 300 euros per month for players aged 18-24, and 700 euros for those over 24); and further restricting digital gambling advertising.
Struycken's resignation not only reflects the current internal turmoil within the Dutch government but could also significantly delay or alter the pace of the existing gambling reform agenda, raising industry concerns about the future policy direction.
