NOGA expresses concern around latest addiction care figures
New figures display an exponential rise in the number of Dutch people seeking addiction care for gambling issues.
The Dutch Online Gambling Association (NOGA) has responded to the results of a recent study conducted by the National Alcohol and Drugs Information System (LADIS), which revealed a continuous rise in the number of people being treated for gambling addiction.
Newly released figures from LADIS highlight a clear increase in the number of people in addiction care with gambling as the primary reason. The increase is most evident when observing the difference between the 2022 number (1,920) and the 2023 number (2,456).
Indeed, a yearly rise of 500+ people seeking and being admitted into addiction care for gambling in the Netherlands is a cause for concern for NOGA.
Eric Konings, Director for NOGA, commented on the figures, saying: “The figures published today show that after years of decline, there is now an increase in the number of gambling addicts in addiction care. Although the growth is mainly caused by the fact that more institutions have started to provide figures, this does give cause for concern. After all, gambling must be a safe and responsible form of entertainment for all Dutch people and 2,456 people who have had to ask for help is 2,456 too many.
“As we stated last year, these figures should be interpreted with caution, because it often takes a considerable amount of time before people with problematic gambling behaviour turn to addiction care. Just as the downward trend of recent years was no reason to cheer, these figures are also no reason to panic.”
Holland is a nation that has sought to continuously improve its responsible gambling legislations and initiatives since the regulation of its market in October 2021. In April, NOGA called upon the Dutch Ministry to reevaluate its ban on gambling advertising for fears of players turning towards the black market. More recently, earlier this week, the Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) called for enhanced duty of care initiatives in the nation’s arcades.
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