Successful 21st edition of Annual Gaming Industry Event

On Friday, 16 January 2026, the 21st edition of the Annual Gaming Industry Event took place. The event is organised annually by Franssen Tolboom Advocaten in collaboration with the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL).

During the event, held at the Koninklijke Industrieele Groote Club in Amsterdam, regulators, licence holders and other professionals came together to discuss the future of the gambling sector.

The programme opened with welcoming remarks by Justin Franssen and Cosmina Simion, IMGL Executive Vice President and Managing Partner at WH Simion & Partners.

Michel Groothuizen, Chairman of theNetherlands Gambling Authority (KSA), then delivered a keynote speech on the 2026 Supervisory Agenda. This year, the KSAis placing a strong emphasis on tackling illegal operators, protecting vulnerable groups (with a particular focus on minors and young adults), strengthening the duty of care, intensifying supervision of advertising, and ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering regulations. He also addressed the upcoming new licence applications, as the first licences for remote gambling are set to expire in September 2026.

The next presentation was delivered by Ed Birkin (Managing Director at H2 Gambling Capital), who shared valuable market insights and data on trends, channelisation and the impact of regulation.

The programme concluded with an interactive session, during which thought-provoking dilemmas sparked lively discussion among participants. We would like to thank everyone who attended for their inspiring insights and engaging discussions on a safe, responsible and future-proof gambling market.

The full keynote speech by Michel Groothuizen, Chair of the Kansspelautoriteit, is available on the regulator’s website via this link.