Management and organisation


The Board of Directors of the Kansspelautoriteit bears final responsibility for all decisions. The Board members are appointed and dismissed by the Minister for Legal Protection, but are independent in their decision-making.

The Kansspelautoriteit was established in 2012.

Board of directors

René JansenRené Jansen

The chair of the Netherlands Gaming Authority is René Jansen. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Netherlands Healthcare Authority. Prior to that, he held several administrative positions at the former Netherlands Competition Authority. He has also worked for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Social Affairs & Employment. René Jansen studied sociology at Tilburg University. He additionally completed the Senior Managers in Government programme at Harvard University. Since 15 June 2021, René Jansen has been president of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF), the European organisation of gaming regulators.

Areas of responsibility:

  • Communication & Strategy
  • Legal Affairs & Licencing
  • Analysis & Research

Bernadette van BuchemBernadette van Buchem

The vice-chair of the Netherlands Gaming Authority is Bernadette van Buchem. She previously served as Consumers Director at the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets. Prior to that, she held various positions via ABD Interim. From 1985 to 2005, Bernadette van Buchem worked for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Her positions there included Deputy Secretary-General and Director of Internal Affairs. Bernadette van Buchem studied law at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Since March 2021, she has also served as secretary at Stichting Leergeld Den Haag.

Areas of responsibility:

  • Enforcement
  • Monitoring
  • Business Operations
  • Information Technology & Automation

Advisory Committee for notices of objection

The Netherlands Gaming Authority has an Advisory Committee for notices of objection.This Advisory Committee has two new independent chairs: Adriane Koppe and Monique an Oers. On 26 May 2023, Adriane Koppe and Monique van Oers  were appointed by the Board of Directors for a period of three years.

Advisory Council

The Netherlands Gaming Authority has had an Advisory Council since 2014. This council provides the Netherlands Gaming Authority with solicited and unsolicited advice.

The chair is Anita Vegter. She is a senior judge at the Court of Amsterdam. Vegter was previously Director-General of the Administration of Justice and Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Justice and Security, a board member of the ACM regulator, senior judge and deputy president of the Amsterdam District Court.

Other members of the Advisory Council:

  • Haiko van der Voort, associate professor at the faculty of 'Technology, Policy and Management' at TU Delft and director of the master program 'Engineering & Policy Analysis'.
  • Guda van Noort, professor of Persuasion & New Media Technologies at the University of Amsterdam.
  • Marloes Kleinjan, head of the Youth programme at the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, and professor of Youth Mental Health Promotion at Utrecht University

Pool of experts for involuntary exclusion of betting and gambling activities

In the event of requests for involuntary registration of betting and gambling activities in the Central Exclusion Register (Cruks), the Board of Directors can seek advice from a pool of experts. The external experts are appointed via board resolution by the Board of Directors and provide independent advice. The external experts in the pool are Bas Brons (social welfare worker, hands-on expert, independent therapist, counsellor and coach), Mieke Hoste (clinical psychologist, head of the psychologists service unit at Algemeen Ziekenhuis Oostende) and Marcel Marijnissen (physician specialising in addiction, affiliated with the Royal Dutch Medical Association and addiction clinic Triora Verslavingszorg, among others).

Internal organisation

The Netherlands Gaming Authority consists of seven departments:

  • Monitoring
  • Enforcement
  • Legal Affairs & Licencing
  • Analysis & Research
  • Information Technology & Automation
  • Communication & Strategy
  • Business Operations