KSA and Roda JC Launch Study into Young Adults’ Betting Habits
The Dutch Gaming Authority and Roda JC Kerkrade have launched a joint study to gauge how sports betting is perceived and practiced by younger adults in the Parkstad region.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) announced a collaboration with Roda JC Kerkrade on a targeted research project that will probe sports-betting activity, attitudes and spending among younger adults in Parkstad. The move follows growing concern in the Netherlands about the normalization of gambling through sports and youth exposure to betting products.
Roda JC has long positioned itself differently from many professional clubs: it has publicly declined sports-betting sponsorships on the basis that gambling does not align with its community-oriented mission. Jordens Peters, Roda JC’s general manager, said the club sees the partnership as a natural extension of that stance and warned of social pressure on young people. "There almost seems to be a social pressure to participate", Peters said, calling for practical insight to shape local outreach and education.
KSA chair Michel Groothuizen framed the collaboration as strategically important. He described Roda JC as a "strong and credible partner" and said the research will help regulators and community organisations better understand how betting is experienced by younger players and residents in the region.
Study Focus, Timeline and Next Steps
According to the KSA, the empirical component of the study will run from November to December 2025, with findings scheduled for publication in early 2026. The research aims to answer several practical questions: how prevalent is sports betting among young adults in Parkstad; what sums are being wagered; what channels are used; what attitudes and misconceptions exist; and how peer dynamics influence participation.
The KSA said results will inform follow-up education and communication activities designed to de-normalize betting among younger cohorts, address misconceptions about risk and loss, and highlight the social dynamics that can push individuals toward gambling. Those activities are expected to be community-focused and tailored to the needs identified by the study.
The initiative also arrives against a broader regulatory backdrop. The Netherlands implemented the Remote Gambling Act in 2021, permitting licensed online operators while increasing scrutiny of advertising and sponsorship. Regulators and public-health advocates across Europe have cited youth exposure to gambling marketing – including via sports clubs and social media – as a growing concern. Roda JC’s refusal of betting sponsorships has been cited by the KSA as a reason the club is an appropriate partner for this work.
While the KSA-Roda JC project is local in scope, its conclusions could have wider relevance for clubs, leagues and regulators evaluating the trade-offs between commercial deals and community responsibilities. KSA officials say the study will be paired with outreach aimed at reducing harm and informing policy choices on advertising, sponsorship and youth protections.
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Beyond immediate educational materials, the research could influence policy debates in the Netherlands about the limits of gambling sponsorship in sport and the design of prevention programmes targeting young adults. Key questions remain: whether local patterns mirror national trends, how digital channels and informal betting among peers shape behavior, and what interventions prove most effective at reducing risky play.
For now, stakeholders will watch the November–December fieldwork and the early-2026 publication closely. The KSA and Roda JC say follow-up activities will flow directly from the findings, with an emphasis on practical measures that reflect community realities in Parkstad and can be scaled or adapted elsewhere in the Netherlands if effective.
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