KSA Launches Harm Awareness Campaign Ahead of FIFA World Cup

The Dutch Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit/KSA) has warned young sports fans of the dangers of excessive sports betting. The so-called Laat je niet zoek spelen (Don’t let yourself Get lost in the game) campaign comes ahead of the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup.

“Don’t Let Yourself Get Lost in the Game”

As the campaign’s title suggests, the KSA encourages players to remain vigilant and not lose themselves in the game. It warns of the significant dangers associated with excessive participation in sports betting, especially during high-excitement events.

The KSA emphasized that global events, such as the FIFA World Cup, tend to attract more bets due to their importance to the sporting calendar. Additionally, events such as these are particularly popular among young adults, who are considered to be a vulnerable group when it comes to gambling. To make matters worse, many of them don’t even acknowledge sports betting as a form of gambling, making them at-risk players.

The new campaign seeks to highlight the risks and educate Dutch sports bettors about playing responsibly. To that end, the KSA has onboarded street art experts Kamp Seedorf, who have created a mural of Glenn Helder in Amsterdam. Helder is a former Dutch national team member who had for years struggled with gambling harm and had even tried to take his own life. With his story, the KSA wants to show that problem gambling could have devastating consequences.

As part of the campaign, influencer and soccer pro Noah Zeeuw interviewed Helder himself at the mural, asking the latter man to share his story with the new generation of fans. In addition to that, Zeeuw will continue to create content for the campaign as the World Cup unfolds. This content will be shared across his social media channels and will see him delve deeper into the risks of unrestrained betting.

The campaign will also promote the LaatJeNietZoekSpelen.nl portal, where players can share information about their own experiences with gaming.

Younger Players Must Learn of the Risks

Michel Groothuizen, chair of the KSA, commented on the new campaign, saying that major soccer events tend to attract extremely high volumes of bets. With this in mind, he said that it is very important to make younger players aware of the risks.

Young adults, in particular, are susceptible to tension, peer pressure, and overestimating their chances of winning. With this campaign, we do not want to lecture them, but rather show them what the risks are and help them make informed decisions.

Michel Groothuizen, chair, KSA

Glenn Helder also commented on the initiative, describing that soccer should be something that players enjoy. However, betting puts much more than money in peril, he said.

I know what it is like to lose yourself, and also how important it is to find yourself again. That is why I say to young people: don’t let yourself get lost in the game.

Glenn Helder

Noah Zeeuw added that younger fans wrongly view betting as a minor issue or something that is inherently tied to the sport. He said that it is because of that that they should learn about the risks – not via strict warnings, but by being told relatable stories.