I sought opportunities to learn from international experiences. One of the most significant milestones in my professional development was attending the Executive Development
Programme (EDP) in Lake Tahoe in 1991, organised by the University of Nevada, Reno, and led by Bill Eadington.
PIETER REMMERS Founder Assissa Consultancy Europe
A Lifetime of Achievement The Best Cure
At the European Casino Awards 2025, Pieter Remmers received the European Casino Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to
responsible gambling and addiction prevention treatment. Here he tells G3 about the origins of his career and what continues to motivate him after 45 years of study.
Pieter, what inspired you to begin your career in addiction treatment at Jellinek, and how did that experience shape your approach to responsible gambling?
My journey into addiction treatment was largely coincidental. Troughout my career, I have only formally applied for two positions—one of them being Managing Director at Jellinek, a renowned Dutch organisation specialising in substance use and addiction treatment. When I joined, I had no prior knowledge of addiction treatment, as my background was neither medical nor psychological. Jellinek was primarily an outpatient clinic dealing with alcohol and drug-related issues, including methadone programmes.
I began my career in 1981, nearly 45 years ago, working with young men with behavioural problems. Initially, our treatment focus was exclusively on alcohol and drug addiction. At that time, problem gambling was not within our remit, as our funding from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport did not extend to gambling treatment. However, we soon recognised that many individuals struggling with gambling addiction also had substance abuse problems.
Te shift toward responsible gambling came in 1988 when Jellinek initiated a collaboration with Holland Casino. Tis partnership arose
40
when my superior at Jellinek met the head of Holland Casino. Together, they explored the potential for our organisation to address gambling- related harm in a manner similar to our workplace alcohol and drug prevention programmes. Te opportunity allowed me to begin pioneering responsible gambling initiatives within the casino and gaming industry.
What research and data informed your early responsible gambling initiatives?
At the time, research into gambling addiction was sparse. Recognising the need for greater education, I sought opportunities to learn from international experiences. One of the most significant milestones in my professional development was attending the Executive Development Programme (EDP) in Lake Tahoe in 1991, organised by the University of Nevada, Reno, and led by Bill Eadington*1
. Being among industry leaders
helped me gain deep insights into gambling operations and their responsibilities.
Much of our initial approach was adapted from existing workplace alcohol and drug prevention programmes, focusing primarily on employee well-being. Early responsible gambling efforts revolved around raising awareness and providing information, rather than direct intervention. Player-focused initiatives, which allowed for direct
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