iGaming

Dutch regulator launches campaigns targeting youth gambling exposure and harm

The campaigns aim to help parents talk to children about gambling and encourage early self-exclusion.

By Erin Kowalski, Editor-in-Chief
November 3, 2026

The Dutch Gambling Authority, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has launched two public awareness campaigns focused on young people and gambling. The first campaign, OpenOverGokken, encourages parents to talk to their children about gambling before problems arise. The second, Gambling Stop, urges young adults experiencing difficulties to take action and self-exclude. Both campaigns are set to run from early November.

The OpenOverGokken campaign targets parents of teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 25. The KSA said young people are increasingly exposed to gambling content through social media, online videos, advertising and gaming environments. The campaign encourages families to raise the topic even without immediate signs of concern, using the message, "Talk to your child about gambling in time too." This initiative builds on the planned 2025 launch of the OpenOverGokken.nl information platform.

The Gambling Stop campaign focuses on helping those already experiencing gambling-related harm, particularly young adults, take the first step towards support. Its slogan is "Every moment is a Gambling Stop moment." The KSA said the message is that people suffering gambling harm do not "have to wait for a special or life-changing moment to decide to stop gambling." A KSA statement explained that while previous campaigns emphasized life after self-exclusion, the new effort focuses on the decision moment itself.

"Using relatable situations, the Gaming Authority aims to make that step as accessible as possible," the KSA statement read. "At the same time, the campaign shows what taking a Gambling Stop can mean: more peace, relief, and room for other things in daily life." The regulator said the campaign also highlights the role friends and family can play in encouraging someone to seek help. The campaigns launch amid widespread concern about gambling harm in the Netherlands, which has grown since the regulated online market opened in October 2021. Many Dutch politicians and the public have been alarmed by a surge in gambling advertising since the market launch, leading to government proposals for a complete advertising ban. The KSA has also expressed frustration with big tech companies over illegal gambling ads on their platforms.

KSA Chair Michel Groothuizen has proclaimed that these firms gain "a lot of money from the ads of illegal gambling providers, in the Netherlands, in Europe, and worldwide." The Dutch trade body VNLOK is summoning Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, to court over the prevalence of illegal gambling advertising on its platforms. According to its recent annual report, the KSA noted that licensed operators captured around 59 per cent of estimated total gross gaming yield in the Netherlands in 2025, up from 54 per cent in 2024. The regulator warned that player losses, youth participation, and gambling-related harm indicators remain areas of concern.