Parents in the Netherlands are being encouraged to ask what their children encounter around gambling, even when there is no immediate reason to suspect a problem. A new OpenOverGokken campaign targets the parents of 16-to-25-year-olds, bringing that conversation into the Dutch regulator's latest public-information push.
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) described the campaign in an announcement dated 2 November. It says two campaigns begin in early November; it does not give a precise launch day. The other, under the Gokstop name, addresses people already experiencing problems or an increased risk of gambling harm.
Young people supply the opening question
The parent campaign starts with a gap in everyday conversation. Ksa says young people encounter gambling through social media, online videos, advertising and games, while parents may not know what reaches them or how to raise the subject.
According to Ksa, the campaign features young people describing parental conversations about subjects such as sex and safety, then asks where gambling fits.
Its appeal is to talk before a specific concern makes the conversation urgent. The campaign builds on OpenOverGokken.nl, an information platform launched in 2025, according to Ksa. The platform's existence and the new campaign are separate developments.
Ksa also pointed readers towards OpenOverGokken in its recent guide for journalists covering gambling and harm. That document concerns newsroom language and picture choices. This campaign addresses parents and the conversations they have at home.
A separate message for people considering a stop
The accompanying Gokstop campaign focuses especially on young adults who experience gambling problems or face an elevated risk of harm. Ksa says relatives are also an audience because they can help someone take a first step.
The regulator describes a change in emphasis: earlier campaigns showed life after a Gokstop, while the new material concentrates on the decision to take one. Ordinary daily situations carry the message that someone need not wait for a major or disruptive moment.
Ksa describes these as ways to make the first step easier. Its announcement does not report results for either campaign.
