We need preventive measures and psychological support for victims of gambling addiction, & nbsp; I'm sure the author of the project “20 Ideas for the Development of Russia Dmitry Davydov .
First of all & ndash; happening -time, then & ndash; pathology
A lot of people have played cards at least once in their life and know how strong the desire to win or to win can be. I have not escaped this all-consuming passion described in the novel The Gambler, even Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky . True, in the last 10 years of his life he managed to overcome addiction.
Yes, the passion for gambling, especially with betting on money, which is called gambling, can develop into behavioral addiction, in other words , gambling addiction. p>
Note that during the USSR era, gambling addiction was not very widespread, although at home they were often 'cut into cards'. But when slot machines were introduced to the country in the late 1980s and the first casinos were opened, interest in the game began to grow rapidly. And already in the new Russia of the 1990s, gambling addiction was flourishing: the poor gave their last money to 'one-armed bandits', the rich citizens let their first capital go to roulette. & Nbsp;
From the dependency & ndash; to the global epidemic
With the rapid development of information technology, participation in gambling has become so affordable and attractive that the number of players worldwide has already exceeded & frac14; population. And a considerable part of the customers of casinos, bookmakers, raffles have become really addicted with all the consequences that follow.
Alas, most often players do not admit the existence of a problem, but its manifestations are well known to loved ones: it is a “ hiding place ''. ; ; disappears from the buffet, then the valuables will end up in a pawnshop or thrift store. Well, and the scandals, the fights, the divorces and sometimes the suicides.
Gambling addiction not only affects household well-being and the player's reputation with his friends, from whom he borrows money to continue the game, but also the efficiency of the game. business. Executives of many companies need to shut down access to gaming segments of the internet so that employees are not interrupted in their work.
The epidemiological nature of gambling addiction, recognized as a disease, was identified in 2017 by the World Health Organization. According to her, around 350 million people around the world suffer from gambling each year. The WHO considers it necessary to develop a strategy to prevent its spread around the world.
How Russia and the world are fighting gambling
It cannot be said that the governments and the public in different countries are doing nothing to solve this serious problem. So, in Russia, since 2007 Federal Law No. 244-FZ has been in force, which strictly regulates the trade in gambling. Casinos and slot machines are only allowed in five gambling areas in our country, far from large cities.
Along with this, since October of this year, the & nbsp; Unified Gambling Regulator & nbsp; (ERAI), designed to control the gambling industry, has been launched.
But both gambling establishment owners and gamers manage to circumvent the bans. This is why & nbsp; the author of the project “ 20 ideas for the development of Russia '', the entrepreneur and public figure Dmitry Davydov & nbsp; draws attention to the need to use foreign experience: & nbsp; But, unlike many countries, in Russia, unfortunately, there are still no organizations that specialize in counseling drug addicts and their relatives and advocating for the misdeeds of gambling, and cites as a point of reference. 39; example several non-profit organizations from different countries: GamCare, BeGambleAware, Gambling Therapy in UK, Responsible Gambling Council in Canada and South Africa, Gamling Help Online in Australia, National Council on Problem Gambling in US United, Problem Gambling Foundation in New Zealand. & nbsp;
Help those who help
To reduce the negative consequences of gambling, it is necessary, according to him, to conduct scientific research in the field of prevention and treatment of addiction gambling in Russia
No less educational activity is important in explaining the dangers of enthusiasm for betting, as well as promoting the principles of 'responsible gambling'. among active and potential players.
You should also give advice to players facing gambling problems, as well as their relatives. The forms can be different: helpline, accompanying cat, sessions with a psychologist, coaching.
And finally, it is advisable to organize complex therapy for pathologically addicted players.
Who will pay for all of this, state? No, believes Dmitry Davydov: Operators of gambling businesses are obligated to provide financial assistance to charities and private companies that will engage in such a noble cause.
Organizations and companies themselves, in order to receive funding, must have relevant professional experience of at least one year, not be affiliated with gaming operators, their representatives and employees, and also guarantee the Targeted use of funds and provision of reports. & Nbsp; & nbsp;
By the way, a similar practice was introduced by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which launched a player self-exclusion program in 2018. As of January 1, 2020, the UKGC has required all operators licensed to operate gambling activities to make an annual contribution to research, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction in order to reduce the damage caused by gambling.
Project initiator & nbsp; '20 ideas for the development of Russia' quote & nbsp; and other examples: The National Corporation Korea Problem Gambling Center, which works across the country to minimize the negative consequences of gambling, issues invoices for all gambling businesses in South Korea every year. The amount depends on the level of income of the operator itself and the appreciation of its reliability, but cannot exceed 0.5% of its annual net turnover. ' & # 39; and its activities are funded by the national gambling operator Veikkaus.
The experience of these countries confirms the reasonableness of funding the activities of problem gambling organizations to the detriment of the operators of the gambling industry. & Nbsp;
Cumulative effect
In Russia, part of the income of gambling companies is spent solely on the development of sports. But if you legally extend extra-budgetary support to organizations that reduce the negative consequences of gambling addiction, then the effect will be undeniable.
“ Hundreds of thousands of Russians who find themselves in a difficult situation due to excessive interest in betting will be able to enjoy quick and free access to qualified advisory support or session discounts treatment and recovery in specialized clinics, & ndash; explains the author of “ 20 Ideas. & # 39; & # 39;
There is also a clear interest in informing the population, especially young people, about the dangers of betting and self-control.
Comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of gambling addiction will prevent criminal acts, divorce and suicide, and therefore have a positive impact on the well-being of the nation.
< p> Along with the social effect, the implementation of the above proposals will contribute to the creation of new jobs in charities and private companies.
Clearly, with legislative support for this state proposal, the spread of social harm from gambling will be significantly reduced.
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