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About Santas Stack
“As a trade organisation we are trying to work together with our regulator because we feel that we have a shared interest of getting a good legal market. And of course we’re talking to politicians to do something about putting illegal operators on notice. I think it is really positive at the moment in the Netherlands that the operators have really teamed up,” Petra continues.
Notably, she says competing with each other is not important at the moment, as working to fight the black market serves a bigger purpose.
Finally, after four years in the hot seat, is Petra still enjoying the job? “Absolutely. It’s challenging, it feels like you’re playing in the Champions League sometimes because a lot is asked of the people in the sector. You’ve got responsible gambling, anti-money laundering and, at the same time, you have to offer a fun experience. But it’s nice to be challenged,” she concludes.
What is Santas Stack?
The latest 2025 contribution report indicated that $127 million was awarded, with $53.3 million specifically allocated to sport-related organisations.
Caroline Lamb informed a recent review that the current responsibility of annually processing over 500 ClubGRANTS applications within a short time frame imposed significant constraints.
Lamb described this task as “practically limiting the authority’s ability to most effectively monitor compliance” across the scheme.
What is Santas Stack?
The department said the guidance had been designed to “improve consistency across the sector and help prevent similar issues from occurring in future”.
In May, an investigation under the title “Operation Turbo” charged an Auckland man on eight counts under the Gambling Act.
The man was charged in connection with two illegal poker venues allegedly operating in central Auckland.
