11 percent football players bet on matches in their own competition

Eleven percent of professional football players in the Netherlands sometimes bet on matches in their own league or tournament, players' union VVCS reported on the basis of a survey. More than half of the Eredivisie players who participated in the study said they occasionally place a bet. So far, 217 players have participated in the study.

Gambling on matches in the league in which the players themselves participate is not permitted by law. Sometimes, they use accounts in the names of other people, the study showed.

Over the summer, defender Tom Beugelsdijk was suspended for five matches because of online gambling on Dutch football matches. Beugelsdijk played football for Sparta Rotterdam in recent years, and currently plays for Helmond Sport in the Eerste Divisie.

Players who occasionally bet on matches gamble an average of under 100 euros per month, the VVCS said. Two professional footballers admitted to feelings that their own gambling behavior as "potentially problematic." Betting on the final result is "by far the most popular bet,” the players’ union said.

"The idea that the vast majority of professionals in the Netherlands gamble is more nuanced with the results of this VVCS survey," the union said. "After all, the footballers indicate that they only place bets sporadically, and then also for relatively modest amounts. It is clear to the VVCS that its forthcoming information campaign is by no means an unnecessary luxury. Because it is apparently not clear to all players on which games they can bet on and which games they can't bet on."