Ksa calls for more responsible reporting: also relevant to Belgium 

The Dutch Gambling Authority (Ksa) has published guidelines for journalists reporting on gambling and gambling-related harm. The regulator highlights the importance of word choice, reliable statistics and information about available support. This is also relevant to Belgian newsrooms: reporting on the Belgian Gaming Commission, gambling exclusions and gambling problems requires more than an attention-grabbing headline. 

Why the Ksa is addressing newsrooms 

Gambling regularly makes the news. Sometimes the story concerns a fine imposed on an operator, sometimes sports betting, or someone experiencing financial difficulties because of gambling. According to the Dutch Gambling Authority, this coverage influences how the public perceives gambling. 

With its media guidelines for reporting on gambling and gambling-related harm, published on October 27, the Ksa aims to support newsrooms. One of its main priorities is preventing negative perceptions of people experiencing gambling-related harm. 

The regulator also recommends systematically including information about support services in articles about gambling. This gives readers not only information about the problem but also a starting point for seeking help. 

Focus on the person without downplaying gambling problems 

The guidelines contain eight key recommendations. They cover factual reporting, attention to product risks and the industry’s role, respectful language, recovery, social norms, reliable statistics, neutral imagery and information about support services. 

One important principle is that people should not be defined solely by their gambling problems. A phrase such as “someone with a gambling addiction” describes a problem without making it the person’s entire identity. In a story about recovery, “someone recovering from a gambling addiction” may be appropriate. 

This distinction also requires accuracy. Not everyone who experiences gambling-related harm has a diagnosed addiction. Journalists should therefore describe what is actually known without making their own diagnoses. 

Clear language also matters. For example, “gambling harm” is more direct than “gambling-related harm”. Using simpler language does not mean diminishing the seriousness of the subject. 

The Belgian Gaming Commission has a different role from the Ksa 

For Belgium, clearly distinguishing between the two regulators is essential. The Dutch Gambling Authority supervises gambling in the Netherlands, while the Belgian Gaming Commission performs the regulatory role in Belgium. The Dutch media recommendations should therefore not be presented as new legal obligations in Belgium. 

However, their content is relevant to subjects Belgian newsrooms cover every day, including licences, illegal gambling websites, advertising and the protection of excluded players. 

EPIS provides a concrete example. Belgian law describes the system as a tool that allows relevant licensed operators to check whether someone is excluded from gambling. The Belgian Gaming Commission is responsible for managing exclusion requests, among other things. 

An article about EPIS should therefore explain what the register does. Simply referring to a “blacklist of gamblers” does not give readers sufficient insight into its protective purpose and the different reasons why someone may be excluded. 

EPIS figures show why explanations matter 

Gambling Club previously reported on more than 715,000 access attempts blocked through EPIS in 2025. According to that report, 715,373 attempts were blocked. 

This does not mean that the same number of different people tried to gain access. One person may make several attempts. Presenting the number of blocked attempts as the number of unique players creates a misleading impression. 

The same applies to voluntary exclusions. According to the report cited, 66,998 people were registered at their own request at the end of 2025. This figure shows how many people used this protective measure. It does not establish how many people in Belgium have a gambling addiction. 

For newsrooms, there is a practical lesson here: whenever reporting a figure, specify what is being counted, over which period and for which group. “Accounts”, “players”, “requests” and “access attempts” are different measurements. 

Financial figures can also create a misleading impression 

A similar problem arises with financial statistics. Wagering volume, deposits, player losses and company profits are easily confused in news reporting. 

When winnings are wagered again, they are counted again in the total wagering volume. A high total wagering amount therefore does not mean that players transferred or lost that same amount from their bank accounts. 

Gambling Club explained this distinction in an article about Belgian payout figures and the meaning of RTP. It also explains why a theoretical return-to-player percentage is not a personal guarantee of getting money back. 

Responsible reporting requires this explanation, particularly when a headline features large amounts running into millions. The figure itself may be correct, while the meaning readers attach to it may still be inaccurate. 

Look at operators and the wider environment too 

Focusing on the person behind gambling problems does not mean placing all responsibility on that individual. A journalistic investigation can also examine the role played by gambling products, commercial incentives and regulatory controls. 

In the Belgian context, distinguishing between licensed and illegal gambling services is also important. At the same time, journalists should avoid attributing the same motivation to everyone who uses an illegal gambling website. 

In an earlier article about why players turn to illegal gambling sites, Gambling Club discussed British research into different motivations. Some participants deliberately sought fewer restrictions, while others discovered websites through recommendations. 

These foreign findings should not automatically be applied to Belgian players. However, they raise useful questions for further research. For example, a correlation between dissatisfaction with verification checks and illegal gambling does not prove that the checks caused players to switch to illegal operators. 

Recovery stories also require appropriate imagery 

The recommendation to use neutral images is equally useful for Belgian media. A photograph featuring champagne, banknotes and a celebrating player may convey a message that conflicts with an article about debt or loss of control. 

The opposite also deserves attention. A stereotypical image of a desperate person reveals little about the different circumstances in which gambling problems can develop. 

Newsrooms can therefore assess whether a chosen image adds useful information and matches the subject. The same applies to headlines: describing a specific problem is generally more informative than using a broad label such as “shocking”. 

Make support information relevant to Belgian readers 

References to support services should be appropriate for the reader’s country. A Dutch exclusion system should not be mentioned in a Belgian article without explaining the differences. 

For Belgian readers, information about EPIS can be combined with references to support services. Exclusion and counselling serve different purposes: restricting access to gambling is not the same as receiving support for its consequences. 

Anyone concerned about their own gambling behaviour or that of someone close to them can find information, self-assessment tests and online support at Gokhulp.be. The platform offers free, anonymous self-help resources and professional online counselling.