“Zaza, I love you, my brother, promise me that you will never play again” – the letter that young man wrote to his best friend few minutes before he committed the suicide.22-year old young man committed the suicide in August 2019. Later the family learnt that he was gambling addict and lost big sum of money in Gurjaani casino.
Mobilization of state budget funds is a priority for the countries of developing economy.It is natural that big businesses as significant tax payers, are prioritized, though the gambling addiction being a serious problem gains new scales.Gambling games is one of the biggest industry in Georgia which covers big and small cities of the country.Annual profit of the business is 500 billion dollars worldwide.According to statistical information 700 000 persons are involved in gambling in Georgia, and this is only the official statistics. The annual turnover of the gambling business is 5.6 billion.Based on the international research, gambling addiction, as a disease depends on the following risk factors:
Psychic disorder: depression, dependence on various substances (drugs, alcohol) and etc.
Age: mostly young people, teenagers and people of average age are under the hazard of gambling addiction compared to older persons.
Gender: the research showed that men are more likely to become gambling addicts than women.
Family and friends: if there is someone gambling in the family on the level of so called problematic gambler, the risk that the person turns into gambling addict is high.
Specific human quality: venturous, hyper active, impulsive, workaholic – all these increases the gambling tendency risks.
The specialists explain that these factors are encouraged by promos and advertising through the mass media communication sources: street banners, advertising stickers on public transport, radio, TV and internet. One can see the ads placed in public schools and universities neighborhoods.
The international research revealed that the addiction to gambling more than addiction to alcohol or drugs becomes the reason for suicide.Despite the above the Parliament of Georgia canceled the initiative of changes in the law regarding the restriction policy of addictive games advertising.
Report.ge interviewed the Deputy who initiated the legislation change to find out whether the above is the reason of cancellation.
Antoni Tatvidze
News Author