Ksa issues media guidance on gambling coverage in the Netherlands

The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), the Netherlands' gambling regulator, published guidance for media outlets on 27 October 2026 on reporting gambling and the harms associated with it, the authority said. The document is intended for newsrooms and sets out points to consider when preparing articles, including advice on the terms and expressions used.

The guidance gives particular attention to the language used to describe people who have experienced gambling-related harm. According to the Ksa, the aim is to counter negative or stigmatising representations and to avoid formulations that could reinforce prejudice against people in difficult situations.

The Ksa also recommends that articles on gambling carry an informational warning, or disclaimer. The authority points to practice already widely used in media coverage of suicide cases, where warnings and support information are an established part of responsible communication, and says it hopes a similar approach can be introduced for gambling coverage soon.

The authority said the initiative stems from the view that gambling is a subject frequently covered by news organisations, both in current affairs reporting and through personal stories and features on individual experiences. According to the Ksa, the way the media describes gambling plays an important part in shaping public perception of the phenomenon.

The Ksa said the document is meant to give newsrooms a practical tool to improve the quality of information, with more balanced language and greater attention to people experiencing gambling-related problems. The authority described the guidance as part of its awareness work on the risks associated with gambling, and said it recognises the media as having a significant role in how the phenomenon is understood and represented by the public.