Dutch Mental Health Organization Calls for Complete Ban on Online Gambling Ads

Dutch gambling advertising ban

Last July, the Dutch government implemented a ban on most gambling advertising across various media channels. This includes television, radio and print, as well as advertising in public places.

However, the law still allows targeted advertising in some contexts. As such, ads can still feature across on-demand streaming services, social media, direct mail and online gaming environments, but they cannot appeal to or target underage consumers.

The government has so far resisted calls to extend the ban. This includes a motion filed in parliament by Derk Boswijk of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party in February to extend the advertising restrictions to an outright ban.

However, De Nederlandse ggz is urging an outright ban, airing concerns over the impact on young people.

"People, and young people in particular, are too easily exposed to the risks of addiction,” chairwoman Ruth Peetoom said.

"The younger people find gambling normal, the greater the chance of problematic gambling later in life,” she adds. The non-profit references statistics from the gambling regulator KSA which suggested young people aged between 18 and 23 made up 22% of online gambling accounts in the country in the second half of 2023.

De Nederlandse ggz also noted an increase in the number of people eking out treatment for gambling addiction in the Netherlands. According to data collected by LADIS, the national alcohol and drugs database, 2,456 people were seeking out care for gambling addiction in 2023, representing a year-on-year growth.