The Netherlands Gaming Authority (KSA) and the National Health Research and Innovation Organization ZonMw recently announced that they will continue and expand the country's gambling addiction prevention program. Over the next five years, the two parties will invest 21 million euros (approximately 24 million US dollars) to support independent research on gambling harm prevention, early identification, and treatment methods. The funds come from the National Addiction Prevention Fund, which is supported by taxes levied on gambling operators.
The program covers the years 2025 to 2030, focusing on five core research directions: vulnerability and behavior analysis of gamblers, early risk identification, optimization of treatment methods, enhancement of patient life experience and participation, and construction of national knowledge infrastructure. ZonMw will also work to promote the transformation of results, assist in the development of practical intervention programs, and ensure that scientific research serves clinical prevention and social prevention effectively.
KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen emphasized at the project launch ceremony: "Protecting players is KSA's primary mission, and increasing scientific research investment will effectively reduce the social harm caused by gambling." ZonMw Managing Director Véronique Timmerhuis pointed out that gambling addiction is an urgent social challenge that urgently needs cross-disciplinary collaboration and closer integration with the mental health service system.
The first batch of research projects will debut at the International Gambling Research Progress Conference held in Amsterdam in 2024 and 2025, with preliminary results expected to be announced starting next year. This move further highlights the Netherlands' dual-track policy of continuously strengthening social responsibility and public health protection while regulating the gambling market.
