Founded in 1989, GREF is a non-profit organisation of gambling regulators intended to facilitate the exchange of ideas and discussion of policies, through dialogue and working groups.

Groothuizen has been appointed as a general member of the organisation’s board for the period 2025-2027.

On the board, he joins chair Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, who is also chair of French gambling regulator the ANJ.

Other members include Danish Gambling Authority director Anders Dorph, Gambling Commission executive director Tim Miller, Alderney Gambling Control Commission general counsel Sarah Kelly, MGA chief officer for policy and international affairs Kinga Warda, Belgian Gaming Commission president Magali Clavie, and director general of the Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, Atle Hamar.

The KSA said Groohuizen “looks forward to a pleasant collaboration with other countries in the coming administrative period.

“His personal mission is to work with other regulators to establish shared standards in the field of gambling supervision,” the regulator added.

Posting on LinkedIn, Groothuizen described the appointment as “a great opportunity to work together with fellow regulators on a safer and fairer European gambling market.

“Above all, I will try to achieve broadly supported minimum standards that set a floor in the market everywhere in Europe,” he added.

Groothuizen was selected to succeed his predecessor, René Jansen, as chair of the KSA in March last year, and stepped into the role in July.

A lawyer and public administration expert, he previously served as deputy director general of the Dutch Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI) for four years prior to joining the KSA.