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Nederlandse Loterij has appointed Ageeth Bakker as Chief Financial and Risk Officer, effective 1 November, filling the board seat left vacant since Jet Roos-van Aerssen’s resignation in October 2025.
Bakker’s arrival completes the day-to-day leadership team at the Netherlands’ largest gambling organisation, joining chief executive Arjan Blok, chief technology and information officer Maartje Geven and chief commercial officer Arno de Jong on the board of directors. Nederlandse Loterij is a Dutch state participation, operating ten lottery and gambling brands and channelling proceeds to sports, culture and social causes across the country.
Career in Finance and Risk
Bakker joins from Bovemij Group, the mobility-sector financial services provider, where she served as CFRO and board member since 2019. Her exit from Bovemij follows the acquisition of the group’s insurance activities by a.s.r., a transaction that triggered changes to Bovemij’s management structure.
Before Bovemij, Bakker spent 13 years at Achmea Group, holding several director-level positions including director of finance, risk and chain management at Centraal Beheer and financial director at Avéro Achmea. She also served as chair and director of Onderlinge Waarborggroep Centramed, a mutual insurer specialising in medical liability. Her career began with eight years as an accountant at KPMG.
Board Reaction
“The Supervisory Board is pleased to welcome a highly experienced director like Ageeth Bakker as CFRO of Nederlandse Loterij. Her extensive expertise in finance and risk and a career in regulated sectors are a great fit for this board position,” said Raymond Knops, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Nederlandse Loterij. “With the arrival of Ageeth Bakker, the board is at full strength to further realise the strategic ambitions of Nederlandse Loterij, as the most responsible gaming provider and largest driver of sports and exercise.”
Bakker framed the move as a continuation of her focus on regulated industries.
“What particularly appeals to me about Nederlandse Loterij is the combination of a strong social mission and a leading position in the gaming sector. With ten trusted brands, Nederlandse Loterij offers players a safe and responsible range of lotteries and online gambling, the proceeds of which benefit society,” Bakker said. “I am happy to contribute to that. I look forward to working with the board and all colleagues to continue to build a successful and future-proof organisation, so that we can continue to increase our social contribution.”
Tax Pressure Shapes the Backdrop
The appointment comes as Nederlandse Loterij works through a heavier tax burden. The operator reported an €8m ($9.16m) loss for full-year 2025, which it attributed to gambling tax increases introduced during the year. The Dutch rate rose from 30.5% to 37.8% across two phases in 2025, cutting into the state-owned operator’s contribution to good causes, the stated purpose behind its lottery and betting products.
The pattern is not unique to the Netherlands. Operators across several European markets have flagged similar margin pressure following duty increases. In the UK, William Hill owner Evoke considers sale following UK gambling tax overhaul, as it weighs its own response to a higher domestic tax rate.
Bakker’s appointment also lands amid broader leadership turnover across Dutch gambling bodies. The Kansspelautoriteit, the country’s gambling regulator, recently named Carol Verheij as KSA vice chair, part of a wider reshuffle across the market’s regulatory and operator leadership this year.
Bakker’s appointment brings Nederlandse Loterij’s board back to a full complement of four for the first time since Roos-van Aerssen’s departure, closing a vacancy that had left financial and risk oversight split among existing directors for over a year.
As CFRO, Bakker’s first task will be steering Nederlandse Loterij’s financial planning through a full year under the higher tax rate. The operator’s next annual results will show whether the increased duty continues to weigh on the funds it channels to Dutch sports, culture and social causes.
Source: Nederlandse Loterij
