More than half of young people in the Netherlands expect to gamble on sports this summer, a poll shows.
One of the main drivers will be football European Championship The tournament began last Friday in Germany, and the Dutch team achieved victory in its first match by defeating Poland 2-1 on Sunday in Hamburg.
Report from number Based on a representative study commissioned by Loket Kansspel, a government support facility for citizens with gambling problems, it revealed how six out of 10 young people were preparing to bet on sports.
A research agency surveyed 975 young people aged 18 to 24 to gauge their intentions. 30% of respondents indicated they were likely to gamble on sports in the coming months, while 32% indicated they might bet their money on the same events. Most of those who indicated they were willing to bet were men.
The report by Dutch media cited previous research indicating that young people are the age group most likely to gamble online, with sports betting being the preferred option. This age group is said to bet smaller amounts compared to older gamblers because they have less money to spend, but they are still thought to lose an average of €600 per year.
“One of the biggest risks of gambling.”
The recent study showed that almost all participants were aware that gambling on sports can have negative consequences, or in other words, you can lose your money. Highlighting the concerns posed by gambling, 44% of active gamblers said they had bet more than they could afford, in the past, while 78% claimed they could increase their odds of winning by studying the sports they are betting on.
The revelation sparked a warning from Tony van Rooij, an industry expert involved in designing the study, who told NOS, “This is one of the biggest risks of gambling in general and betting on sports matches in particular.”
He continued: “Sports results cannot be predicted based on knowledge and skill. There remains a matter of luck and coincidence. This is very risky because continuous and long-term gambling can lead to major problems for you and others.
In response, Lockett Kanspiel launched a campaign last week targeting young people with the message, “Don’t play games with your money.”
Image credit: Ounce Orange/X