The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the Strategy for Fighting Gambling Addiction, which is designed until 2035.
This was reported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
Its implementation involves the following measures:
- large-scale information campaigns and lessons in schools about the risks of gambling;
- early detection of the risks of gambling addiction;
- more opportunities for treatment, psychological assistance and rehabilitation;
- separate support programs for military and veterans;
- blocking illegal sites and advertising and combating crime in the gambling business.
About 40 government agencies will work on this plan. Among them are the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Bureau of Economic Security (BES), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Police, “PlayCity”, and others.
Gambling business in Ukraine
In 2023, Ukrainians spent almost UAH 400 million daily in online casinos, or over UAH 12 billion per month. The military is most often hit by this industry, who then suffer from gambling addiction.
After the publication of these data, society began to actively discuss the problems with gambling, in particular among the military. On March 29, 2024, an electronic petition appeared on the website of the Office of President Volodymyr Zelensky to restrict the operation of online casinos during martial law in Ukraine. Within a few hours, the petition collected the 25 000 signatures necessary for its consideration by the president.
The author of the petition, a soldier of the 59th brigade and Hero of Ukraine (posthumously) Pavlo Petrichenko, claimed that there are frequent cases when gambling-addicted servicemen spend all their money on casinos and then take out microloans, driving themselves into a debt hole. They also pawn drones and thermal imagers, which harms not only them but also their fellow soldiers.
On April 20, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree restricting the operation of online casinos.
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