The programme will run for three years and contribute to policy goals outlined in the Netherlands’ Remote Gambling Act, chiefly addiction treatment and prevention.

ZonMw, an organisation that supports health-related research, has developed this programme and an initial funding round for project proposals is expected “shortly.”

Within the programme, there will be two open funding rounds “for which research projects can be submitted,” according to ZonMw.

Meanwhile, the Addiction Prevention Fund, which was established by the Remote Gambling Act, will finance the programme.

“The aim of the research programme ‘Prevention of Gambling Addiction’ is to contribute to the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction, gambling-related harm and gambling problems by developing new knowledge and stimulating its use,” the KSA said.

Prevention of Gambling Addiction has been in the works for some time. ZonMw was commissioned to develop the programme in August 2020, and since then, the KSA has offered regular progress updates.

For example, Trimbos, a Dutch mental health institute, published a literature study late last year which mapped out existing research into gambling addiction and identified areas requiring further study.

This led to three objectives as outlined by ZonMw: “Obtaining new knowledge that contributes to the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction and gambling problems in the broadest sense.

“Strengthening the impact of knowledge on prevention and treatment practice” and promoting “national and international collaboration in gambling addiction research.”