The Dutch Gambling Authority (KSA )is stepping up its efforts to prevent and reduce potential gambling-related harms. Just this week, the regulator announced that via its Addiction Prevention Fund, it will invest in five new projects.
It’s no secret that with the increase in popularity of Dutch casinos, gambling can lead to serious consequences for players, their close ones, and the public as a whole. Latest figures from the country suggest that 20% of those who gamble are considered at high risk of developing a gambling addiction.
With a focus on prevention, early detection, and support, KSA insists problems can be prevented from turning into debt, addiction, or mental health issues. The five new projects will be carried out by Anonymous Gamblers and Their Environment Foundation, the Dutch Association for Psychiatry, the Trimbos Institute, and the Naast Foundation.
Improving Counselling and Online Communication
By utilising money from the Addiction Prevention Fund, the Anonymous Gamblers and Their Environment Foundation will train new discussion facilitators and invest in professional development.
AGOG will also seek digital peer-support meetings, which can provide a solution in regions with no AGOG groups. This can also work for those who are unable to attend in-person meetings.
New Guidelines for Gambling Addiction
According to the KSA, the Dutch Association for Psychiatry will get funding from the Fund to come up with a guideline for the treatment of gambling and gaming addiction.
NVvP guidelines will feature recommendations for medical practice by healthcare professionals. This new guideline follows one of the recommendations from the National Rapporteur on Addictions in the report “Gambling with Health.”
More Attention to Existing Programs
Thanks to funding from the regulator, the Trimbos Institute has kick-started two pilot projects that will explore the topic of gambling. The “Growing Up in a Promising Environment” (OKO) program is examining whether it can help prevent gambling behaviour among young people, which can include literature reviews, analysis of data, identifying suitable interventions, and conversations with municipalities and local partners.
Additionally, within alcohol, drug, and medication policy, there are attempts to explore how employers can prevent gambling behaviour at work and better refer employees with early signs of problems to appropriate support.
Support for Family Members
The Naast Foundation has received funding to host webinars, individual counselling, and newsletters for families of people who suffer from a gambling addiction. They will also provide additional information about the potential harm of gambling on helpmijndierbareisverslaafd.nl.
These will complement the OpenOverGokken.nl platform, with an objective to better align the information and helplines of the Naast Foundation and OpenOverGokken. This can ensure clear cross-referrals and create a clear pathway for relatives who seek help or advice
Addiction Prevention Fund
With the newly planned support for these projects, the regulator will try to bolster early detection, prevention, improved care, and support for people who indulge in gambling and their relatives. KSA sees these as key areas to improve to reduce gambling-related harm and constrain its negative impacts.
The funds for these projects are from the Addiction Prevention Fund, which has been operated by the regulator since 2021. It’s financed via an additional gambling levy imposed on providers of high-risk gambling services.
Analysis of Underage Participation
KSA has also reported that it has completed its inquiry into how minors gamble on regulated online casinos despite the country’s robust age restrictions. Thanks to those restrictions, it’s essentially for minors to gamble on licensed sites on their own.
The report found that age verification is bypassed mainly when accounts belong to adult family members or friends. However, the regulator has also received signals that minors may have found a loophole to create accounts with legal operators, which started the investigation into the issue last year.
The study looked into the registration processes of online gambling providers, with a specific focus on identity verification and bank account validation. Transaction data obtained from banks allowed for a more comprehensive analysis of any potential defects.
No Serious Breaches
But the results did not find any serious violations. In only a few cases, individuals were able to use someone else’s bank account or link their bank account to another user’s account. This happened in scenarios where individuals had the same initials.
KSA also held talks with online gambling brands and found that they did not have a direct solution at the start. However, such has been found, and it will explain it in a technical session with industry representatives. The regulator will also provide recommendations later, which will be implemented into the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing framework.
Michel Groothuizen, Chair of the Board of the KSA, also shared a few words on the subject:
“KSA is very concerned about minors who gamble. Fortunately, this hardly occurs with licensed providers, but we do have clear signals that it does happen. This is therefore likely taking place on the illegal market. Illegal providers often have no or low standards for age verification and actively target young audiences, for example via TikTok.”
In his words, this can be quite harmful, and that’s why the KSA is devoted to fighting illegal gambling. The Authority will also try to better educate minors about the risks associated with gambling.
