معرفی
Niels Bibert is affiliated with the Institute for Media Studies & Meaningful Interactions Lab (mintlab) at KU Leuven as a Researcher. His primary academic roles include serving as a former teaching assistant (AAP) and program coordinator, where he contributed to communication sciences courses such as Qualitative Seminar 1, Media Research and Innovation, and Human-Computer Interaction. He defended his PhD dissertation in 2025, titled 'An Odd Game? Understanding Esports Betting Access, Drivers and Consumption,' under Professors Bieke Zaman and Rozane De Cock. His research focuses on mediatization, digitalization, gamblification, and sportification, with a particular emphasis on the intersection of sports betting, media practices, and regulatory frameworks.
Previously, he held roles as program coordinator (2017–2019) and project officer (2016–2017), gaining expertise in education policy, student recruitment, science communication, and alumni management. His work integrates mixed-method approaches, including quantitative consumer data analysis and qualitative media text studies, often collaborating with the Belgian Gaming Commission to develop data protocols.
Research interests span esports betting, gambling access dynamics, and the societal implications of digital media. His publications analyze topics like betting behavior, platform accessibility, and regulatory challenges in Belgium and Europe. He has presented at conferences such as Current Advances in Gambling Research and the German Communication Association’s annual meeting.
Collaboration and involvement include the Lab for Media Culture & Policy (OG), the Meaningful Interactions Lab (mintlab), and ZeMKI Bremen. His research narrative includes advising master’s theses and contributing to grants funded by KU Leuven. Future work likely continues exploring mediatization in gambling and gaming contexts.