The Dutch investigative journalism site, Follow the Money, recently reported that the Nederlandse Loterij and the charity lottery Vriendenloterij had their promotions displayed on the website of mental health charity MIND. This raised concerns about the appropriateness of the association between these lotteries and a charity focused on mental health support. As a result, Secretary of State for Health, Wellbeing and Sports Paul Blokhuis directed inquiries to Minister Dekker, who oversees gambling-related matters.
Dekker acknowledged the legitimate questions surrounding the connection between these lotteries and a mental health charity. He stated that the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport had already discussed the matter with MIND, resulting in the removal of lottery promotions from their website. Additionally, Dekker expressed hopes that the gambling regulator, de Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), would take action if necessary.
When asked about the impact of the National Lottery’s sports betting service, Toto, on young people, Dekker stated that there were no statistics to support claims of significant harm caused by these advertisements. He also dismissed the argument that the lottery’s marketing encouraged more people to gamble, emphasizing that it aimed to attract existing players to participate in the legal offerings. Dekker suggested that the Dutch Lottery should have the ability to advertise for legal gambling purposes.
It is important to note that these statements emerge shortly after the opening of the Dutch online gambling market, where the lottery is among the initial ten licensees.
