Dutch regulator launches two campaigns to get families talking about gambling
The Netherlands' gambling regulator, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), is launching two campaigns in early November. One urges parents of 16 to 25 year olds to talk about gambling early; the other tells young adults that any day can be the day they join the national self-exclusion register, Gokstop.
This is a Dutch campaign and has no legal effect in South Africa, where there is no licensed online casino market. It is still a useful model: it puts the focus on early conversations and on making the first step towards help feel small. South African players and families can borrow the idea whatever site or app is involved, and should treat any operator's own tools as a supplement rather than a safety net.
What the regulator announced
The KSA says it is starting two public-awareness campaigns in early November 2026. Both are about making gambling and gambling harm easier to talk about, and both stress that a first step does not have to be complicated.
The announcement came on Monday 2 November, and it is the regulator's own statement that we have used for the facts below.
OpenOverGokken: parents of 16 to 25 year olds
The first campaign, OpenOverGokken, is aimed at parents of teenagers and young adults. Its message is to raise gambling with your child in good time, even when nothing is wrong, in the same way many families raise sex or online safety.
Young people themselves feature in the campaign, describing how their parents talk to them about those other subjects and asking where gambling fits. The regulator notes that young people meet gambling through social media, online videos, adverts and games, and that parents often do not know what their children are seeing.
The campaign builds on the OpenOverGokken.nl information site launched in 2025.
Gokstop: any day can be the day
The second campaign targets young adults who are already struggling or at higher risk, and the friends and family who might notice. Its slogan translates roughly as "every moment is a Gokstop moment".
Earlier Gokstop messaging concentrated on life after stopping. This one focuses on the moment of deciding, using ordinary everyday situations to show that nobody has to wait for a crisis. It also points to the calm and relief that can follow.
Gokstop is described by the regulator as the national self-exclusion and support programme.
What it means for South African players
- There is no equivalent national register here for online play, so the practical tools are deposit limits, time limits and account closure on each site, plus a talk with someone you trust.
- If you are worried about someone else, an early calm conversation is easier than one held after losses have built up.
- If gambling is causing harm, speak to a doctor, counsellor or a South African support service; look up current contact details from an official source.
Our guides explain how to check an operator's licence and player-protection tools before you deposit.
What to watch next
Campaigns like this are only worth copying if they work. The KSA has not said how it will measure results, so watch for any later figures on visits to OpenOverGokken.nl or new Gokstop registrations.