The Dutch Gaming Authority, KSA, has announced funding for five new projects aimed at preventing and reducing gambling-related harm in the Netherlands.
The regulator said the funding will be provided through its Addiction Prevention Fund and will support work spanning peer support, psychiatric treatment guidance, youth prevention and services for relatives of people affected by gambling addiction.
KSA said research shows that 20% of people in the Netherlands who gamble are at moderate or high risk of gambling addiction. It added that gambling harm can affect individuals, families and society more broadly, with consequences including debt, addiction and mental health problems.
One of the funded projects will support the Anonymous Gamblers and Gamblers' Environment Foundation, AGOG, which plans to train new group facilitators and invest in professional development.
AGOG is also exploring digital peer support meetings to reach people in areas without physical groups or those unable to attend sessions in person.
The Dutch Association for Psychiatry, NVvP, is receiving support to develop a new guideline for the treatment of gambling and gaming addiction.
KSA said the guideline follows a recommendation made by the National Rapporteur on Addictions in its Gambling with Health report and is intended to support medical practice among healthcare professionals.
The Trimbos Institute has also launched two pilots under the programme. One will examine whether the Growing Up in a Promising Environment, or OKO, programme can help prevent gambling behaviour among young people. The work includes a literature review, analysis of monitoring data, a search for suitable interventions and consultations with municipalities and local partners.
A second Trimbos pilot is looking at how employers can address gambling behaviour in the workplace and improve referrals for employees showing early signs of harm.
In a separate strand, Stichting Naast has received funding to provide webinars, one-to-one counselling and newsletters for relatives of people with a gambling addiction. KSA said this work will be linked with the OpenOverGokken platform to improve referrals and create a clearer route to advice and support.
KSA has managed the Addiction Prevention Fund since 2021. The fund is financed through an additional gambling levy imposed on providers of high-risk gambling.
KSA has also remained active on the enforcement side of its remit. Earlier this month, the regulator issued an instruction to Unibet over breaches of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, in a move that reflected its wider focus on compliance, consumer protection and oversight across the Dutch market.
The funded projects are being carried out by AGOG, NVvP, the Trimbos Institute and Stichting Naast
