Alexander Pechtold will step down as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nederlandse Loterij at the start of 2026, following his appointment as Mayor of Delft.
The former D66 party leader was reappointed to a second four-year term at the request of the Ministry of Finance earlier this year, but will now exit the role early to take up the mayoralty on 4 September 2025. His resignation will become effective on 1 January 2026.
Pechtold has chaired the Dutch Lottery since April 2021, overseeing a pivotal period that included the launch of the Netherlands’ regulated online gambling market and the appointment of a new CEO. He has been credited with reshaping the Supervisory Board and bolstering the Lottery’s positioning as a responsible operator.
In a statement, Pechtold said: “I leave behind an organisation that is future-proof—clear in its positioning, ambitious in strategy, and driven by talented people. I thank my colleagues for their trust and will remain fully committed through the handover period.”
Supervisory Board member Frida van den Maagdenberg expressed regret over his departure, citing Pechtold’s “leadership and professionalism” as key to the Lottery’s strategic progress.
The Ministry of Finance, which holds shares in the state-run gambling operator, has begun the search for a successor.
Pechtold’s departure as Chairman of Nederlandse Loterij comes ahead of the Netherlands’ General Election, scheduled for 28 October. While political change may be on the horizon, the Tweede Kamer has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing reforms in the Dutch gambling sector.
These overhauls will focus on market conduct, player protection, and operator accountability with specific new laws designed to protect customers aged under-24s from compulsive gambling. The mandate will continue under the mandate of State Secretary for Legal Protections, Teun Struycken, regardless of the election outcome.
