From washing machine to debt tokens: this game shows how debt works

30 September 2025 Research news item

Imagine this: you finally land a job. It’s not fancy, but you can pay your rent. Then your landlord raises the rent. You think, “I’ll manage,” until your washing machine breaks. You don’t have money for a new one, so you try to fix it yourself, unsuccessfully. Now you go to the laundrette. A week later, the local council sends you a fine. Did you drive through a red light? You feel confused and ashamed. Why do you keep doing things wrong?

But maybe you didn’t do anything wrong at all. That’s what anthropologist Joost Beuving believes. He says you are stuck in a 'maelstrom', a mix of difficulties that worsen one another and push you into debt. “We want to move away from the idea that people in debt are either victims of the system or people who make bad choices,” Beuving explains. He thinks both ideas are too straightforward. So he looks for a third story, one that sees people as active citizens. The maelstrom model does that. But how does it work? And how do you help people understand it?

Playing opens space for reflection and dialogue.

Playing with debts

A group of students from the Bachelor’s programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, where Beuving teaches the course Debt Relations and Financial Behaviour with Luuk van Kempen, found a creative solution. They made a board game based on the maelstrom model. The game operates like a version of The Game of Life, illustrating how different parts of the model worsen one another.

Well-being tokens and money tokens

“The goal of the game is to stay as healthy as possible, mentally and financially,” says student Myrthe Groen, one of the creators.

After a few rounds, players clearly see that shame and guilt are often unfair.

Players form teams and choose between being “almost in debt” or “not in debt.” Each team receives both well-being tokens and money tokens. The objective is to hold on to these tokens until you end the game, but that can be quite a challenge, much like in real life.

The rules of the game

Chance cards can lead to unexpected trouble. If you roll the wrong number, you might miss a vital government letter and incur a fine, resulting in the loss of some money tokens. You also face choice cards: should you buy a birthday gift for your partner or save that cash for a dentist appointment? Choosing the dentist makes you feel guilty for skipping the gift, and you lose a well-being token in the process. Before long, you realise that you need money tokens to boost your well-being, but you find yourself running low. When your funds dry up, you end up with your first debt token. If you’re not careful, you could even face burnout. It's crucial to recover before moving forward. “This is exactly how the maelstrom works,” says Beuving. “The events build on each other and pull you deeper into debt.”

Get the conversation going

As players progress through several rounds, they begin to realise that feelings of guilt and shame can often be unfair. “Winning isn’t the aim of the game,” Groen explains. “We designed it this way on purpose because we want to convey that there doesn’t have to be a definitive end.” The game illustrates how external factors can shape our lives, even when we strive to do everything 'right'. “That revelation can be quite liberating. The game brings it to light and makes it real. People can see themselves reflected in it,” adds Beuving.

Breaking the stigma

This leads to a crucial conversation. One of the most significant problems with debt is the stigma. People tend to avoid discussing it, making it harder to get help. The game helps break that taboo. “Playing creates space for reflection and dialogue. Not only for people with debt, but also for policymakers and support workers,” says Beuving.

A new perspective

Beuving co-founded the research group REGAIN – Radboud Expertise Group on Action against INdebtedness. The game is a good example of what the group aims to achieve: a new perspective not just on debt, but on the people who live with it. Through insight, play and dialogue, we can create policies that don’t treat people as victims or problems, but as citizens with possibilities.

Myrthe Groen created the game together with fellow students Ilse Roording and Chris Hoogenraad.

Contact information

Contact: Dr J.J. Beuving (Joost)
Organizational unit: REGAIN: Radboud Expertise Group on Action against INdebtedness, Radboud Social Cultural Research, Faculty of Social Sciences
About person: Dr J.J. Beuving (Joost) , Dr L.A.C.M. van Kempen (Luuk)
Theme: Diversity, Society