Addiction Experts Worried over Increasing Dutch Gambling Ads

Gambling and addiction experts have raised concerns over the growing rate of gambling advertisements in the Netherlands.

The experts are worried that the regulations in place in the Dutch iGaming market are not doing much to control gambling advertisements.

Reportedly, the lenient behavior has resulted in gambling being painted as a rosy and enjoyable affair, leading to gambling problems and addiction in the region.

Although several Netherlands politicians and government officials are against such online gambling ads, the Advertising Code Committee so far has rejected every complaint filed against gambling ads.

Recently, the Volkskrant justified its approval of a playful ad because "the average consumer" understands that it does not paint a "serious image" of gambling.

According to NL Times, addiction experts are worried that these ads may lead to gambling amongst vulnerable groups like children and teenagers.

One of the experts, Leroy Snippe, an experienced addiction care agent currently undergoing a Ph.D. degree on innovative terms for gambling addiction, opined that as a newly regulated market, the Netherlands is still very inexperienced in gambling advertisements. Snippe worries that due to the lack of “resistance,” gambling is now being associated with parties.

Neuropsychologist and professor on addiction Anneke Goudriaan contributed by saying that casinos only show the wins "while the losses are so much more frequent. On average, gambling costs people money."

The Netherlands launched its iGaming market in October, and since then, online gambling sites have collectively spent about 10 to 12 million euros every month on advertising.

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