Helpline Problematic Gambling Behaviour

Online Gambling:
Since 1 January 2021, a law has been in force in the Netherlands that makes betting on sports matches legal. This has made online gambling increasingly popular, lowering the threshold for gambling yourself and increasing the risk of gambling addiction.

Helpline:
The VVCS wants to assist footballers/football players with a request for help regarding gambling addiction. To this end, VVCS appeals to the Topsportcompany. They have selected specialised psychologists throughout the country who are ready to assist footballers/soccer players with a possible gambling problem.

Gambling rules:

1. As a professional soccer player, you are not allowed to gamble on your own club.

2. As a professional soccer player, you are not allowed to gamble on the league in which you are active.

3. As a professional soccer player, you may not gamble on matches in any competitions in which you have been active during that season but are no longer active [e.g., cup competitions and/or youth competitions].

4. As a professional soccer player, you may not gamble on youth competition matches.

5. Finally, as a professional soccer player, you are prohibited from encouraging people to gamble on the above-mentioned matches on your behalf.

Please note!

In addition to the five general rules, there are also many prohibited betting options (such as betting on yellow or red cards, causing a penalty, and, for example, an own goal). You will not find these at licensed providers, but you may find them at some illegal (unlicensed) providers. If you are caught betting with an illegal party, you run the risk of being punished. So don’t do it. If you are unsure whether you are dealing with an illegal party, check the Gaming Authority’s gambling guide.