The Kansspelautoriteit is entering a remarkable partnership with the Kerkrade-based Football Club Roda JC. Roda JC plays in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the second-highest division in Dutch Football.
Together with the Ksa, they are joining forces for a joint mission. Both parties feel a social responsibility to reduce the normalization of sports betting among young people.
Roda JC has officially announced partnership on their website
The club proudly announced the partnership on its website. They want to collaborate with the Ksa to launch targeted initiatives to raise awareness among young people about the risks of gambling and sports betting.
This coming football season, they will therefore organize activities focusing on both communication and education. Together with the Kansspelautoriteit, Roda JC aims to join forces by working together daily to raise awareness and create a lasting impact within the sector.
Managing director Jordens Peter (Roda JC) proudly revealed their ambitions:
“It’s wonderful to see that this approach is now paying off and has indeed led to these kinds of valuable collaborations. We want to help young people think more critically about sports betting and start a conversation about the loss and peer pressure that comes with it.”
Kansspelautoriteit emphasises the importance of greater awareness
The Ksa is also full of praise for the upcoming plans. The chairman of the Kansspelautoriteit, Michel Groothuizen, announced that sports betting is becoming more integrated into the lives of young people. This commitment aims to put a stop to this phenomenon.
Michel Groothuizen (chairman Ksa):
“With this partnership, we’re taking a concrete step towards raising awareness and changing behavior, using football as a powerful social platform. This pilot program is running in a specific region, with Roda JC as a credible partner. We’re also simultaneously exploring opportunities for national scale-up.”
Remarkable partnership within Dutch Football
Roda JC maintains an independent position within Dutch football. The club is the only professional “Betaald Voetbal Organisatie (BVO)” not to have entered into commercial partnerships with gambling companies.
That’s why Roda JC has not experienced any negative impact from the ban on sports sponsorship by online gambling companies that came into effect in the Netherlands on July 1, 2025.
The ban on sports sponsorship does not apply to land-based gambling companies. New sponsorship deals have been signed in recent weeks: Jack’s Casino and FC Utrecht have signed a partnership. And NAC Breda and Sparta Rotterdam are partnering with Eurojackpot.
Creating more awareness is ultimate goal at Roda JC and Ksa
Their shared vision makes them enthusiastic about the future. Both Roda JC and Ksa are eager to share their vision.
By focusing on numerous activities and the educational aspect, they believe that together they can make a real contribution to raising awareness among young people and reducing the normalization of sports betting among young people.