OpenOverGokken explains gambling in plain language
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14 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes In the Netherlands, gambling is a growing part of everyday life, but the mechanisms involved, the risks and the means of prevention are often poorly understood. That’s why OpenOverGokken.nl has launched new educational content to explain gambling in simple language, accessible to everyone, without minimising the risks or dramatising the practices.
Gambling becomes a social issue
Gambling is no longer a marginal phenomenon. It cuts across generations, social backgrounds and digital uses. Understanding what gambling really is, how it works and what it can cause has become a public health issue. Behind the apparent lightness of gambling lie mathematical rules, psychological mechanisms and commercial strategies that are often invisible to the general public.
For the past few days, OpenOverGokken has been offering a plain-language explanation of gambling, developed by Steffie.nl, a Dutch website specialising in popularising complex subjects. This collaboration marks an important step: it recognises that access to information should not be restricted to a well-informed public.
The content was developed by LeerZelfOnline at the request of the Kansspelautoriteit. The project is funded by the Addiction Prevention Fund.
Four modules to shed light on usage
The system is based on four separate modules, each addressing a key aspect of gambling.
- The first module answers a fundamental question: what is gambling? It explains what gambling is, how it works and why chance plays a central role.
- The second module focuses on gambling addiction and how to help yourself. It describes the mechanisms of addiction without judging or stigmatising.
- The third module lifts the veil on the ‘tricks’ used in gambling. Behind this deliberately simple term lies a complex reality: the way in which games are designed to maintain attention, encourage repetition and give the illusion of control.
- The fourth module takes the form of a self-test entitled “How do you manage gambling? The aim is not to make a diagnosis, but to help people reflect on their own relationship with gambling.
The modules can be accessed free of charge via OpenOverGokken.nl and gokken.steffie.nl.