99% of gambling addicts put themselves on the “black list”
The number of gambling addicts is growing from year to year. Currently, Ukraine has a register of problem gamblers – people who are restricted from accessing gambling facilities and participating in gambling. According to the Commission for Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries (CRGL), 3,871 people have been included in the list over the three years of its existence. The vast majority – 87% of them – were added to the list in 2023.
3.7 thousand people are on the Register of Gambling Problems as of the beginning of 2024.
Since its inception, 3871 people have been included in the list. The vast majority – 87% of them – were included in the list in 2023. Over the past year, the number of gambling addicts on the list has increased 8 times.
Over the past two years, 171 people have been excluded from the Register due to the expiration of the restrictions. Of these, 60 people were excluded in 2022, and another 111 – last year.
99% of the individuals were included in the Register at their own request for self-restriction. Only 1% were included in the Register by the decision of the HQCJ. At the same time, no one was included in the Register by a court decision.
Context.
Currently, Ukrainians can be included in the Registry of Gambling Addicts in three cases: by applying for self-restriction on their own, by a decision of the CRAIL based on a request for restriction from relatives, and by a court decision. Thus, Ukraine does not have clear statistics on the actual number of citizens with gambling addiction, and the figures from the relevant register do not reflect the full picture.
It is important to note that only temporary bans on visiting gambling facilities are provided for gambling addicts in Ukraine – for a period of six months to three years. Upon expiration, these restrictions are automatically terminated.
It is also worth noting that in December 2023, Law 9422 was adopted, which prohibits the issuance of loans to gambling addicts included in the Register. However, this restriction is valid only if the list indicates that the person used credit funds for gambling.
