The allocation of funding comes as the KSA concluded an investigation into the access by minors to legal online gambling platforms.
The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has allocated grants to five new projects focused on preventing gambling-related harm the authority announced on Tuesday.
The projects, conducted by the Anonymous Gamblers Foundation and the Gamblers’ Environment Foundation (AGOG), the Dutch Association for Psychiatry (NVvP), the Trimbos Institute and the Naast Foundation, are financed through the KSA-managed Addiction Prevention Fund (Verslavingspreventiefonds, VPF).
Established in 2021, this fund is supported by an additional levy on providers offering high-risk gambling products.
The KSA cited Dutch research showing that approximately 20% of people who engage in gambling fall into moderate or high-risk categories for gambling addiction.
The current investment concentrated on four key areas. Expansion of peer support networks; development of clinical guidance on addiction; and integration of prevention within existing social and health programmes. It also focused on the provision of support for affected workplaces and families.
The funded projects
AGOG (Anonymous Gamblers and Gamblers’ Environment Foundation)
AGOG will utilise funding to train group facilitators, enhance professional development and pilot digital peer-support meetings. The introduction of online groups aims to extend support availability to individuals in areas lacking physical meetings and to those unable to attend in person.
Dutch Association for Psychiatry (NVvP)
The NVvP will develop clinical guidelines addressing gambling and gaming addictions. These guidelines are key to informing psychiatric medical practice. They also respond directly to recommendations from the National Rapporteur on Addictions’ “Gambling with Health” report.
Trimbos Institute
The institute is conducting two pilot programmes. One investigates incorporating gambling prevention into the “Growing Up in a Promising Environment” (OKO) initiative. This is focused on youth, using literature reviews, data monitoring and municipal partnerships.
The other pilot explores methodologies for employers to identify early signs of gambling problems among employees and improve referral pathways towards appropriate care, building on existing frameworks in substance-use prevention.
Stichting Naast
Stichting Naast will offer webinars, individual counselling and newsletters for relatives of individuals with gambling problems. The efforts will be linked with the OpenOverGokken.nl platform.
The initiative aims to improve information clarity and referral routes for family members seeking help.
Across Europe, other countries have launched similar funding projects. The UK government announced a provision allocation of £25.4 million to support gambling-harms prevention and resilience initiatives. According to the department, the grants are intended to support “equitable and innovative prevention strategies”.
Minors’ access to gambling platforms
The grant allocations come as the KSA published the results of its investigation into minors’ access to legal online gambling platforms in the Netherlands. The regulator also concluded that it is “virtually impossible” for under-18s to register and gamble with licensed online operators under current verification systems.
However, the report acknowledged isolated technical loopholes that allow circumvention and emphasised that illegal operators present the greatest risk to minors.
“The KSA is deeply concerned about minors gambling. Fortunately, it appears that this hardly ever occurs among licensed providers, but we do have clear indications that it is happening nonetheless,” said the chairman of the board of the Dutch Gaming Authority.
“Illegal providers often apply no or low standards for age verification and advertise specifically targeting this young demographic, for example via TikTok. This is extremely harmful, and the KSA is therefore working hard to combat the illegal supply.
“We are also placing a stronger focus on educating minors to make them aware of the risks of gambling.”
Other European countries are also focusing on the impact of gambling on minors. Norway recently announced a four-year action plan to combat youth gambling. It compiled coordinated prevention campaigns, enhanced treatment services and an expanded research agenda.
Kathryn Evans
Kathryn covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.
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