Gambling and suicide: one in three gamblers affected in the Netherlands
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16 Oct 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes In the Netherlands, gambling addiction is no longer a discreet problem. A recent study reveals that a third of people with serious gambling problems have already had suicidal thoughts. Faced with these alarming figures, researchers, mental health professionals and victims are sounding the alarm.
Edifying figures: 1 in 3 concerned
Ruth van Holst, an expert in behavioural addictions in the Netherlands, is leading a report according to which a third of those questioned suffering from serious gambling problems have already had thoughts of suicide. In the accounts gathered, financial loss, estrangement from family and the collapse of everyday life appear as often sudden triggers. A simple setback, or a major loss, can be enough to trigger the mental abyss.
The context: legalisation of access, rise in the number of cases
Since the opening up of the online gambling market in the Netherlands on 1 October 2021, professionals have observed a marked increase in the number of people being treated for gambling addiction. In 2023, almost 2,500 people were treated for this type of problem, an increase of around 24% compared with 2022.
Of these, 88% are men, the average age is 35, and 17% of patients are under 25. These young people are particularly vulnerable: they are more exposed to online offers, advertising and the addictive effects of digital platforms. For many, gambling addiction becomes not only a personal scourge, but also a social one: debts, isolation, psychological problems.
Triggering factors: impulsivity, loss, loneliness
Among the factors often cited in the study: impulsivity, especially among young people, the belief that a win can change everything, repeated heavy financial losses, and feelings of shame or failure. These factors are all interlinked and can lead to a state of extreme despair.
Ruth van Holst notes that suicidal thoughts can arise suddenly after a big loss, and that this kind of moment can be a very strong trigger. Luuk’s testimony confirms this: the trigger doesn’t always take long to occur, but the psychological downfall often does.
Experts estimate that people with a gambling addiction are up to fifteen times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. This estimate places gambling addiction among the most dangerous addictions, above and beyond many substance addictions when it comes to extreme psychological consequences.
These are not just abstract figures. Many people struggle in silence, without acknowledging their suffering or asking for help. The stigma, the fear of judgement, the shame of debt – all these factors delay treatment.
A public health emergency
The data are indisputable: a significant proportion of people with a gambling addiction have already had suicidal thoughts. The combination of legalised online gambling, isolation, financial loss and denial of suffering makes for a high-risk cocktail.
The challenge now is manifold: strengthening regulations, guaranteeing access to effective psychological support and, above all, changing the way we look at behavioural addictions. Because beyond the material losses, lives are at stake.