Thanks to the regional law, gambling activities within 45 meters of sensitive places, such as schools and facilities for the elderly, have decreased by 10% in 500 years. Councilors Donini and Corsini: "Let's strengthen our commitment to combat and reduce the risk of addiction, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable people"
Family paths, listening desks, classroom workshops, training activities for parents and teachers. It's still, therapeutic groups and mutual aid, initiatives in collaboration with anti-usury centers and over-indebtedness counters.
THEEmilia Romagna continues to strengthen its commitment to fight against gambling through Action plan against gambling addiction 2022-2024: the Regional Council led by President Stefano Bonaccini, approved the distribution of resources to the local health authorities, from Piacenza to Rimini, for the implementation of health initiatives awareness, prevention, training and assistance, equal to over 3,2 million euros. Over 10 million euro considering the last 3 years.
An Action Plan supported by Regional law number 5 of July 4th 2013 which, as confirmed by a study conducted by the regional Administration on the implementation of the legislation at territorial level, has given important results: in the last 10 years, from the entry into force of the law to November 2023, date of the last survey, in Emilia-Romagna decreased by 45,2% gambling businesses located less than 500 meters from sensitive locations; these are, for example, schools, places of worship, sports facilities, residential or semi-residential structures operating in the health or socio-health sectors, accommodation facilities for protected categories, places of youth gathering and oratories.
“A significant result - underline the regional councilors for health policies, Raffaele Donini, and to Commerce, Andrew Corsini – which encourages us to do even more to combat and reduce the risk of gambling addiction, and protect the most vulnerable sections of the population, starting with young people. We do this by acting directly in the area, in collaboration with health authorities, municipalities and associations, to inform and raise awareness among citizens of the consequences that gambling addiction can entail, for themselves and their loved ones, on an economic but also social level, of health and well-being. Unfortunately, the data tells us that the people assisted by the Serdp, the addiction services, are increasing: we must continue to make every effort to combat this phenomenon".
The regional law against gambling
La regional law 5/2013 has introduced drastic measures to scale the offer linked to gambling, through the imposition of the closure or relocation restriction for the activities of gaming halls and betting shops located near places deemed sensitive. In addition to the 45,2% decrease in gambling activities located less than 500 meters from sensitive places, many Municipalities have expanded the list of places near which these activities are prohibited, including libraries, theaters or cinemas (20 Municipalities), green areas or public outdoor spaces (15 Municipalities), and no less important meeting places, such as clubs, associations, social centers, or educational spaces. Furthermore, from 2013 to 2023, they were issued in Emilia-Romagna 225 closure measures for violation of gambling regulations, e 483 businesses closed. 41 activities have relocated e 290 are the sanctions imposed for failure to comply with the law. With the involvement of municipalities and commercial establishments, the brand was also established “Slot Free ER”, issued to operators of commercial activities, managers of private clubs and other places dedicated to entertainment who choose to do not install gambling machines in your establishment.
Those assisted for pathological gambling in Emilia-Romagna
In 2022, were played in Emilia-Romagna 8 billion and 904 million of euros to gambling, with a per capita wagered of 1.997 euros per year (to know the actual expenditure the winnings must be subtracted from these figures, ed.). They are above all men (8 out of 10, 81,6%), by Italian citizenship (92,1%), with middle age aged 49: these are the citizens who most often turned to the addiction services of Emilia-Romagna to receive help. In total those who turned to the service in 2022 were 1.247, 143% more compared to 513 of the 2010. In 57,2% of cases (713 out of 1.247), it was about new assistants.
Another important share is that of over 65, which constitute 16% of those assisted. However, the share of under 25, which constitute the 4,3%. Compared to the types of games with cash prizes, the 37,8% of the people who received help from Serdp preferred video games bar or in the game rooms and 13,8% il Lotto, il Superenalotto, Lotteries, Football Pools and Scratch & Win, in both cases equally between men and women.
The choice of, however, is purely male bet (on football but not only), preferred by 7,9% of Serdp clients, and the online gambling (3,9%). As for gaming venues, the 49,3% of the players went to the bar or from tobacconist to play, the 25% in Game rooms/Snai and 16,1% used online platforms at your own or someone else's home.
To learn more
Action plan against gambling addiction 2022-2024
Inform citizens about the risks associated with gambling, starting with young people and schools. Train the health and educational staff of the associations to recognize the signs linked to gambling addiction, promoting widespread social responsibility. And then to make people aware of and further consolidate the network for the treatment - integrated health and social - of the player and his family members: these are outpatient and residential interventions, carried out in collaboration with healthcare companies and private bodies accredited by the health care system. pathological addictions, social services, local authorities and associations that manage self-help groups.
These are, in summary, the main objectives of the Action Plan against gambling addiction 2022-2024 approved by the Region, on the basis of which in the last three years health authorities - responsible for territorial planning of initiatives to combat gambling - have been assigned pathological hazard – over 10 million euros. In 2023 the funds allocated by the Region amount to more than 3,2 million euros. Furthermore, this year a new regional observatory was established for monitoring activities.
Gaps Research funded by the Emilia-Romagna Region
To know and deepen the level of knowledge and awareness of the risks associated with gambling, in 2020 the Emilia-Romagna Region funded a research called GAPS - Gambling adult population survey, conducted by the Laboratory of epidemiology and research on health services relating to the the clinical physiology institute of the Cnr, which involved 1.835 citizens (50% men and 50% women), between 18 and 84 years of age, chosen from among the residents of 37 municipalities in the region.
Based on the data collected, 36% of the Emilia-Romagna population gambled in 2020, the most played games were Scratch & Win and Superenalotto. In general, according to researchers, women prefer Lotto and men sports betting.
34% of study participants gambled in physical gaming locations, rather than using online gaming, especially in the provinces of Rimini, Forlì-Cesena and Bologna. The most frequented places are bars, tobacconists and private homes. 6% of the population, however, played online, especially in the province of Reggio Emilia, in particular via smartphone.
14% of Emilia-Romagna players have a gambling behavior at risk of developing a form of gambling addiction, with serious effects on mental, family and social health and the highest percentages are found in the provinces of Piacenza, Parma and Forlì. Cesena: they play all types of games in a higher percentage and almost a third play at least 4 of them. Over half believe they can get rich by playing thanks to luck, and less than a third through skill. An important fact: gamblers at risk have a lower perception of the risks related to gambling.
