Dutch Regulator Ksa Launches OpenOverGokken and Gokstop Campaigns for Young Adults

The Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Netherlands Gambling Authority, announced on 2 November 2026 that it is launching two public campaigns in early November: one urging parents to talk to young people about gambling, and one promoting Gokstop among young adults at risk of harm.

The regulator says both efforts are meant to open up conversation about gambling and its harms, and to raise awareness of Gokstop. The campaigns speak to different groups and carry different messages, summarized below.

OpenOverGokken asks parents to start the conversation

The parents' campaign rests on a familiar comparison. In it, young people explain how their parents discuss sex and safety with them. The call to action, "Praat ook op tijd met je kind over gokken" (talk to your child about gambling in good time), puts gambling on the same list of topics families already handle.

The Ksa wants parents to open the subject before anything goes wrong. The regulator identifies social media, online videos, advertising and games as the channels through which young people come across gambling.

The campaign extends the OpenOverGokken.nl information platform. According to CasinoNieuws, the platform went live on 18 September 2025 as the successor to Loket Kansspel.

Denmark offers a close parallel: its gambling authority recently ran a parent-focused "Casino in the Children's Room" campaign. Sweden's regulator took a similar awareness route in 2024 with its campaign for young adults.

The Gokstop campaign centers on the decision to stop

The second campaign carries the slogan "Elk moment is een Gokstop-moment" (every moment is a Gokstop moment). Its primary audience is young adults who are already struggling with gambling or face a higher chance of harm. It also speaks to relatives and friends, who can help with a first move.

The message is that no one needs a dramatic turning point before stopping. That shifts the emphasis. Previous Ksa work showed what life looks like after a Gokstop, while this effort centers on the decision itself. The regulator also ran an awareness campaign on the CRUKS register in November 2023.

MarketingTribune reports that FCB Amsterdam developed the campaign. It adds that the Ksa and the agency took an Effie in 2025 for the earlier "Pak je leven weer op, neem een gokstop" work. Distribution is mainly online video and social media, with adults up to 35 as the chief audience. According to MarketingTribune, whether the campaign cuts gambling harm over the long run remains an open question.

Where the campaigns fit in the Ksa's player-protection work

CasinoNieuws reported in September that follow-up campaigns for Gokstop and OpenOverGokken were set out in the Ksa's 2026 supervision agenda (toezichtagenda). The November launches therefore deliver a planned item rather than a new policy direction.

For licensed operators, the campaigns create no new obligations. They show where the regulator wants public attention directed: early family conversations about gambling for 16- to 25-year-olds, and easier access to Gokstop for people already showing signs of harm. Operators with young adult customers should expect more interest in both topics and may want customer-service teams ready for Gokstop questions.

The Ksa has been building its player-protection function for some time. It previously outlined plans for a duty of care department for online gambling, and the campaigns sit alongside that supervisory work. Elsewhere in Europe, Denmark's Spillemyndigheden has reported gains among students aged 16 to 20 from gambling education, a result other regulators are likely to watch.

Status reviewed on 3 November 2026. Campaign details come from the Ksa announcement of 2 November 2026, with agency and launch background from MarketingTribune and CasinoNieuws. More regulation news and EMEA coverage.