Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has stepped up its campaign against problem gambling through a funding commitment to three new public initiatives aimed at raising awareness about gambling-related harms. KSA will provide financial support to the projects via the Addiction Prevention Fund (VPF).
Three Projects Aimed at Preventing Problem Gambling
The first project, an e-learning training programme for the early detection of problem gambling, has been developed by the Dutch addiction treatment center, Jellinek. The programme is targeted at front-line professionals, including doctors, psychologists, debt counselors, and mental health experts.
The second project is an initiative from Geldfit, a financial and debt management advice website run by the NSR Foundation. The Geldfit team currently operates the “MoneyFit” platform which is dedicated to young Dutch residents with money-related questions. The platform will now have a problem gambling support segment to cater to financial issues linked to problem gambling.
The third project is an education programme led by the Trimbos Institute. Named “Bright at School”, the programme also focuses on the youth and aims to encourage healthy choices among them, as well as assist their environment in mitigating risky gambling.
Pilot Programs to be Launched Soon
The three projects will soon launch their pilot programs with funding from the VPF which is managed by the KSA. If successful, the initiatives may get additional support from the gambling authority and other relevant agencies involved in providing funding for addiction prevention programmes.
