Helma Lodders, who has held the position of chair at the Licensed Dutch Online Gaming Providers (VNLOK) since its inception in 2021, has announced her decision to step down. Lodders’ term expires and she has chosen not to extend it. Current board member Björn Fuchs was unanimously elected as the new chair on the recommendation of the board. He will combine this role with his employment as Chief Digital Officer at Fair Play Casino.

In the run-up to the opening of the online gambling market, Lodders helped shape the trade association. Under her leadership, VNLOK has grown into a reliable discussion partner for politics, government, media and social organisations involved in gambling policy. In addition to representing the interests of the members, her efforts have also helped to place the extensive illegal gambling market high on the political and social agenda.

Helma Lodders said: “Since the establishment of VNLOK, I have fulfilled the role of chairman with pleasure. It was a period of political and social turbulence. At the same time, I have always kept the goal in mind; to work on a safe, reliable and controllable market with the right care for vulnerable players. Now that my term is ending, the time has come to pass the baton. I thank my fellow directors for the trust they have placed in me and have every confidence in Björn Fuchs as my successor.”

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Björn Fuchs said: “I regret the departure of Helma Lodders. The board is grateful for the way in which she has given substance to our association with her skills and strength in an honest manner. The board therefore expresses its appreciation for the efforts that Helma has made since the foundation.”

“I look forward to my new role as chairman of VNLOK with pride and confidence. I will get started with great enthusiasm and, together with the members, will commit myself to the importance of a well-regulated online gambling market,” Björn Fuchs said.

LeoVegas Group is opening a new city centre office in Leeds, UK. The move enables the Group to support the ongoing development of the Group’s brands such as BetMGM and LeoVegas, strengthening LeoVegas Group’s position in one of the industry’s most competitive markets.

This opening will mark LeoVegas Group’s second UK office, with Leeds supporting its Newcastle headquarters, which have been run by LeoVegas Group since 2018. With a strengthened presence in the UK, LeoVegas Group remains focused on creating the world’s greatest igaming experience.

The new office has undergone significant refurbishment, transforming it into one of Leeds’ most prestigious Grade A office buildings. LeoVegas Group will occupy the entire ground and lower ground floors of Tailor’s Corner, totalling 5000 sq. ft (over 400 m²). The space is currently being renovated to meet LeoVegas Group’s high standard requirements.

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Gethin Evans, Managing Director UK and Ireland at LeoVegas Group, said: “We’re looking forward to moving into our new Leeds office shortly. It’s an important step towards our key goal to continue building the strength of our hero brands in the UK, BetMGM and LeoVegas, by attracting top talent. Leeds will support our main office in Newcastle, which will continue to remain the UK heart of LeoVegas Group.”

LeoVegas Group has started its recruitment plans, with several roles already live, including a Senior UK Sports Director, Senior Finance Business Partner and Legal Counsel position.

We recently sat down with BetBrothers’ Head of Growth & Strategy, Borja Imbergamo, to talk about the company’s mission to become a global leader in regulated sports betting markets. He discusses the principles driving BetBrothers strategy, its unique value to players and operators, and what it takes to build a trusted affiliate brand in today’s market.

Could you please share a bit about your background and experience within the iGaming industry?

My journey in the iGaming industry began more than 11 years ago. I was one of the few professional bettors who successfully turned sports betting into a full-time career. Later, I became a professional tipster and in the meantime, 8 years ago, I had the opportunity to build one of the leading affiliate websites in Spain from the ground up.

During that project I was involved in every aspect of the business — from content creation, SEO, and marketing to sales, product development and team management. Being part of a small team meant I had to wear many hats, which I believe gave me a 360-degree understanding of the industry and the skills needed to launch and scale successful projects. As well as identify and manage the right people to make them happen.

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Currently, as Head of Growth & Strategy at Betbrothers, I’m applying this experience to lead the expansion into more than 20 GEOs. I’m confident we’ll achieve this ambitious goal thanks to the strong and talented team we have built.

What’s Betbrother’s mission, and what sets it apart in the affiliate marketing landscape?

At Betbrothers, our priority is always the player. Our core mission is “Connecting Players with Safer Bets”. This means helping users enjoy sports betting as a form of entertainment — guiding them to bet responsibly, in ways that suit their style and preferences.

A key part of this is ensuring users are betting in safe and regulated environments. We are fully committed to working only with licensed operators, and we invest significant resources in matching users with the right bookmakers in each market. Ones that are compliant with local regulations.

We believe regulated markets, despite their limitations, offer the safest and most transparent experience for users. Through our content and platform, we aim to promote responsible gambling by helping users understand their options, set limits and stay in control of their behaviour. Ultimately, we see our role as both a guide and a safeguard — making the betting experience safer and more enjoyable.

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BetBrothers is only partnering with operators holding licenses in regulated markets. What is the strategic reasoning behind this focus?

Our focus on regulated markets comes from user-centric philosophy. We want our users to enjoy sports betting in a safe, transparent and well-regulated way — even if sometimes it means fewer promotions or tighter restrictions. Licensed operators provide clear rules, secure transactions, and fair play. It leads to a much more positive user experience.

From a business perspective, partnering exclusively with regulated operators also ensures long-term sustainability. These operators have invested significant time and resources to obtain licenses, which means they are committed to the market and are here to stay. This gives us the confidence we need to build long term partnerships.

In short, working with licensed operators aligns with both our values and our strategic vision — promoting sports betting as a safe form of entertainment, while building a trustworthy and future-proof business.

From an operator’s perspective, what is the unique value that BetBrothers brings to the table?

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First and most important: we bring high-quality, compliant traffic. Our strategy is heavily focused on organic acquisition, which we believe is the most valuable and sustainable traffic (and not only in iGaming). But we don’t just deliver volume. We are focused on providing users with the right content to help them make informed decisions — where, how and when to place their bets. This results in users who truly want to play with a specific operator. Players that are loyal, conscious of their choices, and more likely to stick around in the long term.

Additionally, we bring deep industry knowledge to the table. Our team has over 25 years of combined experience, allowing us to create content that is not only optimized and compliant, but also useful.

On top of that, we are building Betbrothers as a globally recognized and trusted brand. One that players all over the world can rely on. When users see an operator on our side, they’ll know it’s fully licensed, reputable and safe. Because we have done the due diligence for them already. That trust is a key part of the value we offer to both users and operators alike.

How Betbrothers is going to differentiate itself from competition in terms of content and product experience?

Our focus is — and always will be — the user. Every piece of content we produce is designed to deliver real value, helping users to make smarter betting decisions and improve their strategy. We know what players are looking for, how to speak their language, and how

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to strike the right balance between honest, user-first content and effective promotion of trusted operators.

In an industry where a lot of the content is AI-generated and tailored primarily for Google, we are doing things differently. We are not writing for algorithms — we’re writing for people. Our editorial team is made up of experts with hands-on industry knowledge.

Another key differentiator is our approach to user-generated content. We want our platform to be a space where users share their opinions, voice their concerns, and help each other out. We see UGC as a way to create community, improve transparency, and provide even more value — with our team always there to guide and support where needed. We believe that strong content combined with smart, intuitive UX is the best strategy to grow organically and stand out in a crowded space.

What’s the long-term vision for BetBrothers when it comes to expanding into new markets?

Our long-term vision is to become the most trusted and recognizable brand in the world when it comes to regulated sports betting. We want users to know exactly what to expect when they visit Betbrothers: transparent information, responsible guidance and a curated list of fully licensed operators.

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We are committed to expanding only into regulated jurisdictions, where we can guarantee a safe, legal and responsible betting experience for our users. We’re already active in focus markets such as Spain and Greece, along with a growing number of others across Europe and beyond. With more than 20 GEOs currently in progress, our goal is to establish a strong local presence wherever sports betting is legal and regulated. We want to become a regional authority in each market while maintaining the same standards of quality.

Looking ahead two to three years, what does success look like for BetBrothers?

In two to three years, success for Betbrothers means being the go-to platform for both users and operators. For users, we want to be the most trusted and reliable source of information about legal, regulated bookmakers. A place where they know they’ll find expert, honest and useful content to guide their betting decisions.

For operators, we aim to be the ideal long-term partner — providing high-quality, compliant traffic from engaged users across multiple markets. When an operator is looking for a partner they can trust, with a global footprint and a focus sustainability, we want Betbrothers to be the first name that comes to mind.

Beyond business success, our broader goal is to help push the industry in a more responsible, transparent direction. More and more countries are moving toward regulation and safer gambling practices. We want to be part of that transformation. To play a key role in building an industry that’s not just profitable, but also fair, honest and truly centered around the player.

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