Don't play games with your money

Clarity and the Gambling Authority helped young adults make smart choices during the sports summer of 2024.

During the sports summer of 2024, Clarity and the Dutch Gambling Authority (Ksa) joined forces with a clear message for Dutch young adults: "Gambling can be fun, but playing consciously is the real win."

Since the legalization of online gambling in 2021, young people have increasingly been exposed to gambling advertisements. This development carries risks, especially for young adults between 18 and 24 years old, a vulnerable group according to research by Trimbos.

The summer of 2024, with the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games, offered a unique period full of adrenaline, excitement, and unforgettable sporting achievements. However, it also meant increased attraction to online gambling, with gambling companies investing significant advertising budgets.

This posed a significant challenge for the Ksa, the regulator not only tasked with enforcing gambling laws but also preventing addiction and abuses resulting from excessive gambling.

Data-driven and multichannel

Communication around addiction prevention is no easy task - Striking the right tone was essential, and everything we wanted to convey needed to be backed by data.

The media consumption habits of the primary target audience (young people) left little room for nuance. Young people's media consumption is largely made up of social media, where you have only a few seconds to capture attention. We also wanted to reach parents, teachers, and other stakeholders with our message. These stakeholders, however, consume very different media.

A multichannel approach was therefore necessary.

Amplifying the message through PR and social media

The campaign began with a survey of about 1,000 young adults. This research focused on their attitudes and behaviors concerning online betting on sports events in general—and specifically their intentions during the sports summer of 2024. The results confirmed our suspicions. It turned out that one-third (32%) of Dutch youth aged 18 to 24 regularly bet on sports events. Moreover, as many as 6 out of 10 young people planned to place a bet during the sports summer.

This research formed the basis for a three-month PR campaign in which we aimed to raise awareness about sports betting through the press. This resulted in valuable interviews with both national (NOS, AD, NPO1, and FunX) and regional (including Omroep Brabant and Noordhollands Dagblad) media.

@skere_student ad | Wist je dat online gokkers gemiddeld €160 per maand verliezen?! 🚨‼️ Btw, bets plaatsen op de voetbalwedstrijd van vanavond valt ook onder gokken... Bijna de helft van de online gokkers zet meer in dan ze zich kunnen veroorloven. En ga je door met gokken om verloren geld terug te winnen? 🤡🥲 Dan heb je mogelijk al een probleem... Vraag je je af hoe het met jouw spelgedrag zit? ➡️ Check speelgeenspelletjes.nl en doe de anonieme test #samenwerking #speelgeenspelletjes #gokken #betten #schulden #geldverliezen ♬ origineel geluid - Skere Student | Geldtips

Additionally, we rolled out a two-pronged social media campaign during the same period. First, we partnered with influencers like Skere Student and Thibo to highlight the financial risks of irresponsible gambling. It's important to stress, irresponsible gambling—placing a bet occasionally can be fun, but it shouldn't lead to debt. In parallel, the "Don't play games with your money" campaign was developed and executed by an external social media agency. This campaign invited young people to critically assess their own gambling behavior and overconfidence through an interactive test about the pitfalls of the gambling market.

A reach of millions in just a few months

The PR results were positive: 7 interviews with outlets including NOS, NPO1, and FunX; 47 online and print publications in regional, national, and trade media; and 63 RTV items on stations like Radio1 and FunX. Through social media, we reached 693,100 users via influencers and channels such as NOS Stories. The total potential impressions of the Ksa campaign amounted to over 48 million.

Clarity and the Ksa successfully made the risks of gambling more visible and encouraged young people to make conscious choices. The success of the campaign also demonstrates that a data-driven multichannel strategy can have a significant impact and effectively convey your message to a broad audience.

Are you or a loved one struggling with Gambling?

Are you experiencing issues due to gambling? Or do you know someone close to you with such problems? Visit the Loket Kansspel website to explore options.