In June Kindred Group was granted a gambling licence by the Netherlands Gambling Authority. The licence grants Kindred Group permission to operate in the Dutch market and from Monday the site Unibet.nl is live.
We were lucky to catch Kindred Group’s Lennart Kessels, General Manager Netherlands on this very hectic and historic day and asked him some questions.
Q. Hi Lennart, General Manager in the Netherlands. We received the license a couple of weeks ago and now the Unibet.nl-site is live! Athletes always get the question after a long game - How does it feel?
A. It is an amazing feeling that Unibet.nl is now live! The team has worked hard to reach this milestone, so it makes me very proud. The moment has finally come to offer our services in Dutch to our customers. We are ready to welcome them again to our exciting brand and new site Unibet.nl.
Q. What is the biggest difference between the pre regulation Unibet and the new site?
A. First and foremost, the local license that allows us to offer our services in Dutch. In terms of product & CX, it is what customers are used to; a fantastic product range (sports betting, online casino, bingo & poker), a reliable and safe platform, and excellent customer service.
Q. In the Netherlands you will be working a lot with Unibet Impact – could you describe the meaning of Unibet Impact?
A. Unibet Impact is a unique program based on collaborations with partners in top and amateur sports, and social organizations. The program is committed to education about responsible gaming, prevention of match-fixing, and initiatives for supporters – utilizing and strengthening the social power of sport. We have recently announced a multi-year partnership with AFC Ajax, in which we will specifically focus on responsible gaming in relation to mental health. Another example is Kindred Group’s cooperation with the European Football Development Network (EFDN), which has now been extended to the Netherlands. With the aim to roll out the Fair Sports 4 All project to raise awareness of the risks of match-fixing by providing information to clubs, players, and other stakeholders involved.
Q. You have started to communicate sponsor- and partnerships? Is there any that you would like to highlight?
A. We love all our partnerships and projects within Unibet Impact. But if I may mention one more, it is the Kist Cup. On Saturday 23 July, Telstar and De Graafschap - in collaboration with Unibet - organize the first edition of the Kist Cup, an ode to Simon Kistemaker. The iconic former coach of both clubs died last November from the effects of cancer. A day for true football fans. All proceeds from the event will benefit Support Casper and will be used for pancreatic cancer research.
Q. Ans just one last, but very important question – who will stand as winner at the UEFA Women’s EURO?
A. Despite the somewhat messy preparation, I hope that the Netherlands will win the European Championship. What else can I say, they are still one of my favorites. But in all honesty, I expect England to be able to take the title.
