The Netherlands has extended its Prevention of Gambling Addiction programme for another five years, investing €21 million to strengthen gambling harm prevention. Running from 2025 to 2030, the initiative shows the country’s determination to promote responsible gaming.
Joint Effort by KSA and ZonMw
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Dutch Gaming Authority, and ZonMw, the national organisation for health research and innovation, will lead the programme together. During the official launch, Ksa Chairman Michel Groothuizen emphasized:
“Protecting players remains a top priority for the Ksa. By investing in knowledge, we can reduce gambling-related harm.”
At the same time, ZonMw Managing Director Véronique Timmerhuis described gambling addiction as an “urgent social challenge” that requires practical solutions and closer links with other mental health fields.
Research and Practical Action
The new funding will target five core areas:
- player vulnerability and behaviour
- early detection of risks
- treatment practices
- lived experience and participation
- national knowledge infrastructure
In addition, ZonMw will push forward practical interventions, ensuring that researchers quickly transform findings into effective treatment and prevention tools.
Wider Industry Context
Moreover, the Ksa banned gambling sponsorships at the Zandvoort Grand Prix, reinforcing its wider harm-prevention agenda.
Meanwhile, projects from the first programme already appeared at the Current Advances in Gambling Research conference in Amsterdam (2024–2025). As a result, the first set of research outcomes should arrive within the coming year.
