Netherlands Online Gambling Association and Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling build partnership


The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (“NOGA”) and the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling ‘Branschföreningen för Onlinespel’ (“BOS”) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’). The two European sister organisations give further substance to the long-standing warm ties between the two organisations.

BOS and NOGA will work more closely together and, among other things, jointly promote channelling and responsible participation in online gambling in both countries. In addition, they will mutually exchange information and share local best practices to help build a healthy, reliable and secure online gambling market in the two countries.

Although the European gambling markets have not yet been harmonised and the individual Member States have the right to regulate their gambling markets as they deem fit, there is no doubt that an exchange of experience and information between member states is hugely beneficial. After all, there is little difference between Member States in the importance of matters such as consumer protection, the promotion of channelling and the protection of the integrity of sport. Through cooperation and exchange, countries can learn from each other’s experiences and thus avoid common pitfalls.

BOS Secretary-general Gustaf Hoffstedt: “Sweden and the Netherlands tend to share the same standpoints in EU matters regardless of the topic. It comes as no surprise for me that our first MoU with a national trade association is with our Dutch colleague. We both stand for a high level of customer protection in every aspect of gambling. We also share a strong belief in the EU idea and therefore support free trade on equal terms. Protectionism and monopolism is not the way forward for the gambling industry. Licensing systems are.”

NOGA managing director Peter-Paul de Goeij: “NOGA is very pleased with this official confirmation of the collaboration. Sweden has already led the Netherlands in the regulation of the online gambling market in the past two years. We can learn a lot from the experiences that BOS has gained during this period. Incidentally, the contact with BOS and other European sister organisations was already good and constructive, but with this formalisation, we hope to further boost European cooperation between sector organisations.

 

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