Dutch regulator funds €2M to catch early gambling harm
The Netherlands Gambling Authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has approved close to €2 million in funding for a new national initiative designed to identify gambling problems sooner and prevent escalation. The Dutch Partnership for Early Detection of Gambling Damage, known as SVSG, will work across health agencies, social services and research institutions to strengthen early intervention efforts. The subsidy comes from the Addiction Prevention Fund, which is financed through levies on licensed gambling operators.
Earlier, the KSA fined three social media influencers for promoting illegal betting providers. The influencers had posted videos showing players gambling on unlicensed platforms and had encouraged their followers to take part.
Coordinated national framework
The SVSG brings together the Trimbos Institute, Addiction Studies Netherlands, GGD GHOR Nederland and the Dutch Debt Relief Route. These organisations will jointly develop a unified structure that links addiction care, local authorities and frontline support services. According to the Netherlands Gambling Authority, an estimated 209,000 people in the country are at high risk of gambling addiction, yet only a small share receive treatment. Officials say this gap highlights the need for a coordinated national approach.
The new partnership follows the model of the Partnership for Early Detection of Alcohol Problems, known as SVA, which has been active since 2019. By using a similar framework, the SVSG intends to streamline resources, reduce fragmentation and create consistent guidance for professionals who engage with vulnerable individuals.
Strengthening regional and local support
A key focus of the programme is to help municipalities integrate early detection into local policy. The SVSG will promote information sharing between regions and enhance cooperation between local practitioners, national partners and research bodies. Lessons from the field will inform updated national guidelines, new training tools and expanded educational materials.
Pilot programmes are scheduled to begin in early 2026 across five regions. Local teams, regional Attention Officers from Addiction Studies Netherlands and quartermasters from the Dutch Debt Relief Route will work together to identify early warning signs and improve referral pathways. During this phase, existing training materials will be reviewed and expanded where necessary to ensure they match current challenges in gambling harm prevention.
Building professional awareness
The initiative places strong emphasis on equipping professionals with better skills to recognise gambling-related risks. Staff in the social domain, including those in community support roles, will receive updated training. Future practitioners in education and health fields will also learn how to identify behavioural indicators and respond effectively.
A national online platform will be created to support knowledge sharing. The platform will collect practical experiences, offer guidance and serve as a central hub for tools and resources. This aims to bring consistency to how early detection is managed across the country.
KSA strengthens duty of care
The KSA had recently released new guidance aimed at tightening how slot machine halls and land-based casinos fulfilled their legal duty of care, even though critics warned that the country’s strict gambling policies were pushing players toward the black market. The guidance, published on 16 September, provided operators with “practical tools and explanations” but introduced “no new rules.” It followed a series of inspections across the country in which regulators had found that although most venues demonstrated awareness of their obligations, “the implementation in certain areas could still be improved.”
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