UNC of Corigliano Calabro: 'gambling addiction affects 50% of the unemployed'
Caluso (Turin). Municipal regulation approved, new limits for the opening of amusement arcades
Mestrino (PD) presented a motion to adhere to the no-slot manifesto
(Jamma) In the last session of the municipal council of Ozieri, the assembly unanimously approved the adhesion to the "Manifesto of the mayors for the legality against gambling" proposed by the minority Insieme. Membership is a formal but important actthe subscribers, in fact, are united by the idea of carrying forward a proposal for the reform of the laws on the management of gambling, in particular of the slots present in public places, but also by the desire to start initiatives to fight against abuse and addiction and raising awareness among citizens and merchants. The numbers – presented in the assembly by the group leader of Insieme Alessandro Dongu and by the rapporteur of the positive response of the majority Maria Antonietta Canu, – tell of a real national drama: 15 million regular players, 3 million at risk of pathology, no less than 800 thousands of already pathological players. Dramatic statistics in which Ozieri is fully reflected since the situation in the city is very critical, in particular that linked to the compulsive use of slots. «Playing – said Alessandro Dongu – can transform itself from a simple escape to a symptom of a true pathological disorder commonly defined as gambling addiction, which affects young people and adults and jeopardizes social relationships often disrupting family reality. Not to mention that too often the money given as social benefits is often swallowed up by the vending machines: this triggers a climate of dead-end social tension. By adhering to the Manifesto - added the proponent - Ozieri undertakes to tackle the problem with concrete initiatives: educational, preventive, control and contrast projects together with volunteers, law enforcement agencies, the Church and schools, with a view to collaborating the founding values of our society, i.e. work, commitment and solidarity. We believe in the courage of the exhibitors who will aim to limit their presence or even more to take the "de-slot" step - he added - and we are convinced that our fellow citizens will reward these activities. Some bartenders are already complaining of a drop in consumption due to the unconvivial atmosphere created in the presence of extreme situations: the bar has always been a place for meeting and socialising, but the abuse of gambling leads to isolation of the individual. What can municipalities do to limit the damage? The answer is "nothing", and for this reason the adherents of the Manifesto are asking for a national law based on the reduction of supply (also through tax relief) and on adequate prevention and treatment; regional laws to support the Municipalities, left alone in the battle against gambling addiction; a greater tax burden on gaming, taxed at 13 percent against 60 for other incomes».
