Expert: Every fifth inhabitant of Georgia suffers from gambling addiction

Gambling addiction in Georgia is a big problem. At the same time, the country’s legislation regarding the gambling industry does not take into account this social phenomenon. This was stated by Anna Buyadzhi, managing partner of VigoLex. She noted that according to the survey, every fifth inhabitant of the country suffers from manifestations of gambling addiction. The expert believes that gambling operators should help people fight this disease. Meanwhile, it is a form of psychological dependence recognized in health care, Buyadzhi added. She also stressed that there is no self-exclusion system in Georgia, although there were similar legislative initiatives in 2017. We add that the system of self-exclusion in the gambling industry implies that gamblers, realizing their addiction, consciously ask to be restricted from gambling. Similar programs are successfully operating, for example, in the UK. As My Lucky Story previously reported, a gambling industry conference is scheduled to take place in Tbilisi in mid-April. Leading Georgian and foreign experts will analyze the state of the industry and the current legislation in this area. In addition, a draft law has been prepared in Russia on the right of clients to self-exclusion. It is understood that a citizen sends an application for inclusion in the list of those who refused to participate in gambling. Also in the UK, an initiative has appeared to revise gambling legislation, including a mandatory amount of deductions for gambling operators to prevent and combat gambling addiction. We add that in Japan, the owners of establishments were legally allowed not to let people into the casino with a suspicion of a pathological addiction to gambling.