“We cannot remain indifferent to the Government's decision to weaken the fight against gambling addiction. In fact, last December 19th, the Council of Ministers approved two decrees, one on physical gaming and the other for the reorganization of the legislation on online gambling. The most important innovation is the establishment of the Permanent Council for Public Games, linked to the Ministry of Economy, which will replace the Observatory of the Ministry of Health for combating the spread of gambling and the phenomenon of serious addiction. The Observatory, founded in 2016, focused its attention on the socio-health aspect and completed its work in December 2022. Although everything had been ready for months for its resettlement, with the designation of 4 members of the Regions, as well as representatives of the scientific associations, the Third Sector, consumers and families, nothing had yet been done by the Government, until the decision to definitively deprive him of his authority. We will present a motion to ask the Region to act as spokesperson with the Government on the need to keep such an important body alive and to strengthen its tasks". The M5S group leader declared this to the regional council of Puglia, Marco Galante (in the photo), also announcing the request for the establishment of a subcommission to combat pathological addictions.
“At the same time – continues Galante – we will file a request for a hearing in the Health Commission of the Health Councilor Rocco Palese and of Dr. Elena Memeo, director of the Strategy and Government Assistance Service for people in fragile conditions of the Health Department and of the sociologist Maurizio Fiasco, expert of the Consulta National anti-usury and component of the Observatory, to learn about the work done by the Observatory. We want updated data on gambling in Puglia, a phenomenon that we cannot in any way underestimate. We need to launch awareness and prevention campaigns, starting from schools, initiatives for which I have already consulted with councilor Barone and will meet councilor Leo. I am aware that more must also be done at a regional level. We need to work in synergy so as not to take steps backwards in the fight against addiction."
