As soon as online gambling became legal, Michael van Dijk (26) became addicted. 'Whether you win or lose will play no more role'

Online gambling became legal in the Netherlands in October 2021, in mid -November Michael van Dijk (26) was gambling addict. And not just about. In a year he lost his studies, work, friends, himself and his self -esteem. And money. Borrowed money – 20,000 euros from DUO intended to study: after his Bachelor's classical guitar at the conservatory, he studied philosophy and music sciences in Utrecht. The gambling drove him from online casinos to the real, to gambling halls, and if he had lost there, he tried his luck at online lotteries or made an offer on Vakantiefeilingen.nl (he won a kilo of pork).

Michael van Dijk no longer does gambling. On his last visit to Holland Casino in Utrecht in December 2022, a friend was with him, and afterwards he told him that he no longer recognized him, in the grip of gambling as he was. Michael then voluntarily registered with Cruks, the Central Register Exclusion Gambling. In the coming twenty years he is no longer allowed to enter the casino, not online and not physically – such a self -imposed gambling stop is less final than it sounds, more about that later.

Then he started writing. Op at five o'clock every day and within the year his first book was finished. Unfortunately you have won nothing Is about his gambling addiction and is an indictment against the gambling industry. In that order. The sensitivity to addiction is in myself, he says, but his facts research shows fairly shocking how the gambling industry is set up to make and keep young boys as he addicted.

It feels like he has to perform, he says the day before his book appears. But it is « healthy tension. » Not the excitement of gambling. « The urge to gamble is in your head and feel in your body. » The activity itself – coins in a slot machine or put sheets on black or red numbers – gives a intoxication. « Whether you win or lose hardly plays a role. »

In scientific articles he read about possible risk factors. As a child, busy, impulsive and sensation bust. Fanatic gamer, especially Habbo Hotel and Runescapehe always knew exactly how something extras could be won within the game. He also had a « non-conformist attitude »-unmanageable at home and at school. And what also makes him susceptible is the extreme frugality of his parents. He grew up in Giessenburg – a « village family » on the edge of the Biblebelt. His father is a logistics employee at a cleaning company, his mother cleans. The mortgage has been paid off and there is 'plenty of money', but Calvinism is deep in its genes, also in his. « Guilt, self -forgive, shame with every wasted euro. »

After a 'prevention interview' at Holland Casino, he was promised six 'visits

He had a problem, but was he also the problem? On that brackish morning that he scrolled gloomy on his phone for a game of cash or crash, his addiction -sensitive nature came into the grip of the industry that deserves addiction and that, then, was allowed to advertise plenty and everywhere. Bet 100 euros! Bonus of 250 euros! Rich in no time! He had 'earned' 3,150 euros after a few hours and he had lost his gloomy.

Only this happened to him? No, since the introduction of the remote gambling (KOA), intended to combat illegal online gambling, 800,000 new gamblers unintentionally added – often between 19 and 24 years old. And what Michael van Dijk was so surprised when he studied the realization of the law: the Ministry of Justice and Security warned that advertising would have 'a normalizing effect'. And the Minister of Justice (Fred Teeven) thought that legalization should not lead to 'additional question' to gambling – exactly what happened.

At Toto, Michael focused on football matches and if he reached his 'loss limit' there, he moved to Betcity or to the roulette table at Holland Casino Online. Every online provider has, legally required, deposit playing time or loss limits, but no one who keeps track of what an individual gambler wastes time and money. So Michael was able to 'play' the clock at the age of 22.

He registered with the Jellinek Kliniek for help, registered on their advice at Cruks for a gambling stop – but discovered that after half a year with one mouse click, he could undo and gambled on. Twice he received a 'prevention interview' at Holland Casino. Under 24 years you can visit the casino six times a month. He came a seventh time. The casino has a legal duty of care, someone had to check if he was not a problem gambler. Everything went fine, he had said to the prevention man. « He had a printout in front of him on which he could see that I had been inside for six whole days in a row. » Yet he became six extra Visits for that month promised.

In his addicted months he considered lifting his parents and selling his body, he had already lost his soul. He started to delve into the gambling industry and is shocked by the « dry » he found. From the scent holes in the floors of Holland Casino from which stress -lowering aromas come to piles of scientific warnings about what gambling addiction costs society. « It is my fault that I became addicted, but the industry is ready to keep me addicted. Now. Why is that allowed? Why do we always allow them to win? « 

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