Jeroen Hairwassers (Fontys) is pursuing research into the prevention of gambling addiction among young adults
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28 May 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Jeroen Hairwassers works as a lecturer-researcher at Fontys and is currently conducting research into how gambling addiction can be prevented among young adults. He has received a PhD grant for his research and will collaborate with the Amsterdam UMC hospital.
Previous research started a year ago
More than a year ago, he started a study together with lecturer-researcher Bart van Bezooijen to get a better picture of how online gambling manifests itself among young people. They want to understand how online gambling influences the lives of students, both positively and negatively. Do people play consciously and do they determine their own boundaries? Do they see it as relaxation? Or as a means to escape from problems or stress?
New research in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC
Now Fontys announces that Hairwassers has been awarded a PhD grant to start a new study on how gambling addictions can be prevented among young adults. He will collaborate with Amsterdam UMC and their collaboration will start after the summer holidays. He can also use his previous findings for this research.
This research will last five years and aims to gain insight into the origin and progression of gambling problems. Which personal, social and societal factors play a role? He will also include this material. With the search results he wants to make a scientific contribution to the development of a policy against gambling problems.
In a conversation with Fontys, Jeroen Hairwassers expressed his concern about how serious this problem can be among young people. He is surprised that at sports events such as het European and World Cup football, gambling seems to be the number one topic of conversation. He believes that the government should take stricter action against gambling providers, who, according to him, are now given too much freedom. With his research, he wants to transfer knowledge and increase awareness.
Jeroen Hairwassers (Fontys):
“There is an ingenious system behind all those colours, sounds and notifications based on smart technology, scientific behavioural research and marketing. In addition, the normalization of gambling also ensures that a large group changes their minds and continues to do so. The following applies to all gambling sites: the house always wins, if you just keep playing long enough. Sports knowledge seems to have an influence on sports betting, but that is a misconception.”
According to the lecturer-researcher, there are high social costs. He emphasizes not only the financial difficulties, but also the impact on relationships, study, work and fatigue. For example, he indicates that it takes an average of two to eight years before young people with problematic gambling behaviour seek help.
When will Jeroen Hairwassers himself be satisfied?
If his research provides valuable insights into the prevention of gambling problems in five years, he will be able to look back on his enterprise with satisfaction. However, he will not wait that long to share the research results.
Jeroen Hairwassers (Fontys): “There is already a big problem, of which we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. That is why it is important to do something now, to spread our knowledge as much as possible now and to raise awareness.”