The Gambling Authority of the Netherlands, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), has announced it will be funding a pilot program with Gamban to make its blocking software available to players in the country.
The pilot aims to ensure that “anyone in the Netherlands can obtain a free one-year Gamban subscription by contacting the country’s national support service, Loket Kansspel, via the website, WhatsApp, email, or phone.” This will provide users access to the recently released Dutch version of the app that blocks access to all online gambling websites and apps across devices.
In addition, Gamban will assist the Dutch regulator help detect unregulated gambling sites as part of the KSA’s continued efforts to clamp down on the black market.
The pilot builds on similar collaborations with Norway’s state-owned lottery and gaming operator Norsk Tipping offering software to self-excluded individuals. Another collaboration was with Finland’s monopoly operator Veikkaus, Gamban is also available for free through Ohio’s self-exclusion platform TimeOutOhio.
“At present, KSA offers players struggling with their gambling behaviour the option to self-exclude through Cruks. However, Cruks pertains only to operators holding a licence in the Netherlands. Gamban gives players the opportunity to also block access to illegal gambling websites,” said Thomas Borghois, the KSA’s addiction prevention fund advisor.
“When used together, Cruks and Gamban provide players a perspective on recovery. Teaming up with Loket Kansspel for the distribution of Gamban subscriptions was a logical choice for us, given that they are the first point of contact for players looking for an independent, judgement-free talk about the gambling issues facing them.
Nathalie Smit, director at Loket Kansspel, said, “At Loket Kansspel, we believe that taking control of your online environment is crucial for breaking free from gambling addiction. By partnering with Gamban, we’re empowering individuals to stay in control and manage their gambling behaviour. We are excited to provide people with free access to gambling blocking software.”
Matt Zarb-Cousin, co-founder of Gamban, believes that having a self-exclusion scheme in place can lead to the unintended consequence of leaving the most vulnerable individuals exposed to black market operators. Therefore, he said layering up blocking software with self-exclusion ensures that devices are unable to access gambling sites and apps, whether regulated or unregulated.
He continued, “We always recommend using other barriers in addition to gambling-blocking software, such as self-exclusion. The friction these offer give the individual a chance to think between urge and action.
“During this time, they can ride out their urge or think again before acting on temptation. In a world where the lure of immediate gratification through digital activity is increasingly tempting, we want to help people regain control and balance – and by using Gamban, they can do that.”
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