Our team

Justin Franssen is co-founder and head of the Gaming & Gambling practice group at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at law in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He has been active in the gaming industry since 1996 and pioneered the first Dutch gaming law practice group with full focus on the industry in 2001. Justin has a broad advisory and litigation practice. He has extensive experience in licensing, enforcement processes, administrative and civil litigation and is regularly involved in sector-specific acquisitions and complex public affairs processes. About Justin Franssen Before Justin was sworn in as an attorney, he was General Counsel at a games developer in Amsterdam and New York. His private practice began at a KPMG-affiliated law firm where he founded the KPMG European Gaming & Entertainment Services Group. He then led the Gaming, Sports & Entertainment practice group at a medium-sized law firm in Amsterdam for 12 years. From 2013 to 2024, he headed the Gaming & Gambling team at Kalff Katz & Franssen. Justin publishes regularly in international journals, speaks frequently at industry conferences and serves on the editorial board of Gaming Law Review & Economics. He is a former board member of the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) and a member of the Advisory Board of the International Research Institute for Gambling and Gaming in Bonn. Justin has a band 1 listing in Chambers Global (Global Market Leaders). He received the IMGL President's Award in 2019 and, with his team, received a VIXIO Global Regulatory Award in 2022. Justin has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar's register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): - General Practice Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Frank Tolboom is co-founder and partner at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at law. Frank advises a wide range of clients active in the gaming, gambling, fintech & payments, and sports & entertainment sectors. He primarily focuses on regulatory issues for clients operating at the intersection of technology, innovation, and regulation. His expertise includes licensing, compliance, and litigation. About Frank Tolboom Frank graduated cum laude with a master's degree in International and European Law: Transnational Commercial Legal Practice from Utrecht University. His master's thesis examined the transparent granting of exclusive licenses, anticipating the CJEU's Sporting Exchange ruling. In 2010, he was admitted to the bar and began his legal career in the Gaming, Sports & Entertainment practice of VMW Taxand. Here, he was able to apply his thesis in practice by contributing to the Betfair ruling of the Dutch Council of State’s Administrative Jurisdiction Division. In 2013, the entire team transitioned to Kalff Katz & Franssen. Together with Justin Franssen, Frank expanded the team into a practice group with international recognition and reputation. In 2019, Frank was appointed equity partner at Kalff Katz & Franssen, where he focused on expanding the practice across various legal fields and sectors. Frank frequently speaks at industry conferences and regularly publishes articles in various professional journals. He is a general member of the prestigious network International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) and a member of AIJA. Legal Areas of Expertise Frank Tolboom is registered in the legal areas register of the Netherlands Bar under the following primary (and sub-) legal areas: General practice Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training points per calendar year in each registered legal area, in accordance with the standards of the Netherlands Bar.

Dr Alan Littler is Legal Director as of 1 January 2025, having started at VMW Taxand and working in the gaming and gambling sphere throughout the team’s tenure at Kalff Katz & Franssen. Alan’s work focusses on those offering licensed gambling services in the Netherlands, as well as payment service providers and others in the ecosystem, those active in the promotional games of chance space, and those seeking advice on the dividing line between games of skill and those of chance.  His work concentrates on regulatory matters, such as licence applications, compliance (including enforcement challenges), all encompassing a wide range of topics such as AML, responsible gambling, reliability assessments and taxation, as well as privacy/data protection. About Dr Alan Littler Alan graduated with a LL.M. (cum laude) in European Law from Leiden University and following a short stint in Brussels and Leiden he moved to Tilburg University from where he received his PhD for research into gambling and EU law. This was published as Member States versus the European Union: The Regulation of Gambling by Martinus Nijhoff in 2011. Alan regularly contributes to publications on gambling related issues, both in academic and industry publications, as well as speaking at conferences such as that of the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG) and the International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking.   Alan is a member of the International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA). Alan is not admitted to the Netherlands Bar Association.

Mariëlla Jensen is office manager at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at law. In this role she provides shape, direction and guidance to the professionalization and development of the office. She is concerned with, among other things, administration, HR and supports the team on an organizational level. About Mariëlla Jensen Mariëlla has over 30 years of experience in the legal profession at various firms and has worked with the attorneys of Franssen Tolboom since 2014. Over the years, she has developed a high degree of organisational sensitivity with an eye for both people and detail. The broad experience she has gained gives her a unique perspective on the organisation and helps her take the organisation forward in the many challenges she faces with the firm.

Jelle Duijn has been practicing law since 2017, with a particular focus on the gaming and gambling industry and related sectors. He advises and litigates for a diverse range of clients and is specialized in civil law, with a strong emphasis on consumer law and contract law. As a member of the litigation team at Franssen Tolboom, Jelle concentrates on handling claims brought against various gambling operators. About Jelle Duijn Jelle earned his Master's degree in Private Law from the University of Amsterdam. During his studies, he worked full-time at a law firm and wrote his thesis on Consumer Protection in Crowdfunding Projects, for which he was awarded the prestigious M.H. Bregstein Prize for the best thesis in private law. With a solid background, Jelle has gained extensive experience in conducting both civil and administrative legal proceedings. His work ranges from providing advice and representation in legal disputes to assisting companies in highly regulated industries. Jelle Duijn has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): – General Practice – Civil Procedure Law Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Joris is an associate at Franssen Tolboom Attorneys at law.  He is specialized in regulatory compliance, supervision, (administrative) enforcement, and consumer law & protection. Joris advises gaming and gambling operators and other stakeholders on Dutch law and regulations. This includes assisting remote gambling operators with the submission of their licence application, or providing legal opinions to gaming developers on their games of skill.  His work also focuses on developments in relation to advertising in the Netherlands, but also covers regulatory developments in other areas, such as the levy of gambling tax and addiction prevention. Joris represents clients before the NGA, the courts of the Netherlands and the Advertising Code Committee in supervisory and enforcement proceedings. About Joris Crone Joris obtained his Master’s degree in European Law from Utrecht University.  During his studies, Joris focused on Europe’s gaming and gambling sector, and completing his Master’s degree with a thesis on harmonisation and online gambling, titled: Folding the Better Hand: Harmonisation of Law and Online Gambling in the European Union.

Ottilie acts as a construction & real estate law (of-)counsel to our firm. She is a partner at Laedas advocaten, a lawfirm that closely cooperates with Franssen Tolboom, based at the same premises. Ottilie Laan read Dutch civil law at Leiden University. She was admitted to the Amsterdam bar in 2000. Ottilie specialises in civil construction and real estate law. Ottilie’s practice consists of advising and litigating on civil construction law (infra, civil and non-residential construction and hydraulic engineering), the Building Quality Assurance Act (Wkb), PPP and area development (cooperation agreements, DBFM(O) and project finance), renewable energy, purchase agreements, commercial real estate law and real estate transactions. Her clients include medium- and large sized contractors, property developers, architects, quality assurance officers, banks and consultants. About Otillie Laan Besides her work as a lawyer, Ottilie publishes regularly in the Tijdschrift Bouwrecht (TBR) and she was an author of the Tijdschrift voor Vastgoedrecht. As a lecturer, Ottilie regularly provides (in company) courses on construction and real estate-related topics including the Quality Assurance (Building Sector) Act (Wkb). Ottilie regularly writes blogs on a personal note and more extensive publications on construction and real estate law in professional journals. All her publications can be read on her website www.debouwadvocaat.nl (only in Dutch). Memberships: Dutch Bar Association (Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten), Construction Lawyers Association (VBR-A). Languages: Dutch, English. Otillie has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): - Real Estate law: Construction law Based on this registration, she is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Chris specialises in administrative (enforcement) law. He has extensive experience in the areas of licensing, regulatory, and supervision and enforcement. He also has a special focus on post-merger and acquisition notifications and AML- and CFT-related matters. Chris writes legal opinions for clients and conducts various proceedings in civil and administrative law. About Chris Adriaansz Chris holds a bachelor's degree in European law and a master's degree (cum laude) in public and administrative law. His thesis on the use of algorithms by administrative bodies won two thesis awards. He has also published articles in various professional journals. Chris has the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): - General Legal Practice, - Administrative law: European law, Administrative procedural law, Administrative enforcement law Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training points per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Aron acts as a civil law & litigation (of-)counsel to our firm. He is a partner at Laedas advocaten, a law firm that closely cooperates with FranssenTolboom advocaten, based at the same premises. Aron studied corporate law and intellectual property law at Leiden University. He was admitted to the Amsterdam bar in 2000. He specialises in commercial law, intellectual property law and litigation. Besides his advisory work, Aron is a very experienced litigator representing clients at Dutch, Benelux and EU courts and bodies and at various arbitration tribunals. About Aron Das Gupta Aron has lectured civil procedural law (litigation) at the vocational training given by the Netherlands Bar Association (Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten) and at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Memberships: Dutch Bar Association (Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten), Dutch Association for Civil Procedural Law (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Procesrecht – NVvP), Dutch IP Litigators’ Association (Vereniging voor Intellectuele Eigendom Proces Advocaten – VIEPA). Languages: Dutch, English, German. Aron has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): - Civil Procedural law: Litigation Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Ayolt has a broad corporate law advisory and litigation practice with extensive experience in Gaming and Gambling related takeover and advisory work. Ayolt is not only an attorney, he is also a mediator. About Ayolt Zoer Before being sworn in as an attorney, Ayolt worked as a tax consultant for KPMG Meijburg & Co. Ayolt and Justin Franssen have been working closely together since the beginning of this century and they were both partners at a medium-sized law firm in Amsterdam where Ayolt headed the Corporate Law Practice Group of approximately 25 attorneys and (candidate) civil-law notaries. Ayolt headed one of the top ten global legal networks for several years and as a result has a large worldwide legal network. Clients who require advice on international matters can therefore be assured they will receive proper assistance in any given region of the world. Ayolt has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): - Corporate law Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

Cor is associated with Franssen Tolboom  of counsel. He founded his own practice in corporate, sports and media law with an emphasis on reputation management. Cor represents national and international clients in the field of investor relations in the AI sector, sports, media and entertainment, creative and cultural professions and consumer brands. In sports law, he is consulted, inter alia, on transfers of contract players or anti-doping disputes. He advises individuals, companies or institutions (family offices) that place high value on their reputation and privacy. He is particularly experienced in guiding and protecting his clients' interests in publicity-sensitive matters. His clients appreciate his ability to grasp complex issues quickly and find effective solutions to their problems. Cor has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister): – General Practice Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.