In the Netherlands, the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) announced that it will allocate funds to five new projects focused on preventing and reducing harm caused by gambling among the country’s consumers. Although the agency did not specify the total amount committed, it confirmed that the resources will be channeled through its Addiction Prevention Fund, active since 2021, to four organizations specialized in mental health, research, and community support.
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Which organizations will receive funding and for what
The Foundation for Anonymous Gamblers and the Environment (AGOG) will receive a grant to train new counselors and invest in their professional development. Additionally, the organization will study the feasibility of implementing digital peer support meetings aimed at those who cannot attend in-person meetings, a common barrier for people in economically or socially vulnerable situations.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Association of Psychiatry (NVvP) will use the funds to develop specific clinical guidelines for the treatment of gambling disorder. These guidelines will include concrete recommendations for health professionals on how to support those suffering from gambling-related harm, an area where clinical practice still lacks unified standards in many countries.
Two pilot programs from the Trimbos Institute: youth and work environments
The Trimbos Institute, a renowned Dutch center for mental health and addiction research, will lead two pilot programs. The first, called “Growing up in a promising environment,” will address the prevention of gambling habits among youth through a literature review, data analysis, and the design of new interventions tailored to that age group.
The second pilot program will focus on the workplace: it will analyze how employers can prevent problematic gambling at work and identify early signs in their teams. The most effective mechanisms to refer employees with emerging problems to support services will also be studied, before the situation worsens.
Both initiatives target two environments that have historically received less attention in prevention policies: the youth context and the world of work, where problematic gambling can develop silently for months without the close environment detecting it.
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Support for family members and loved ones of people with gambling disorder
The fourth beneficiary organization is the Naast Foundation, which will allocate funds to offer webinars, individual counseling, and newsletters aimed at family and friends of people with gambling problems. The goal is to create a clear and accessible path for those seeking guidance from their emotional environment, a group that often remains outside the available institutional resources.
How the Addiction Prevention Fund is financed in the Netherlands
The KSA’s Addiction Prevention Fund is funded by an additional tax on gambling imposed on licensed operators managing high-risk gambling. Since its creation, the fund has supported a wide variety of projects and initiatives in the country, consolidating a funding model in which the industry itself contributes to mitigating the harm it can cause.
According to the regulator, investing in prevention, early detection, and support helps avoid long-term consequences such as debt, addiction, and mental health problems. “The harm caused by gambling can have serious consequences for affected individuals, their environment, and society as a whole,” the KSA stated in its release.
A regulatory model that looks beyond revenue collection
The Netherlands’ commitment to funding harm reduction projects with resources from the gambling industry itself reflects a trend gaining ground in European regulation: understanding that licensing operators is not enough if it is not accompanied by real consumer protection mechanisms.
By acting simultaneously on prevention, clinical care, the youth environment, the workplace, and family support, the KSA builds a network that tries to contain the problem from multiple angles. The challenge, as with any model of this type, will be to measure the real impact of these interventions and adjust them according to the results that the pilot programs yield in the coming months.
