On October 3, the Ukrinform media agency held a round table on the topic «Implementation of social services in Ukraine for people at risk of developing a gambling addiction» with the participation of government agencies, business and public representatives.
The event was jointly organized by the Center for Responsible Gaming and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, attracting the experts from the National Social Service of Ukraine, KRAIL, the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as well as representatives of the gambling business and specialists in preventing and combating gambling addiction.
Creation of a comprehensive system for the prevention of gambling addiction, its treatment, rehabilitation and the provision of social services for people with gambling addiction was the main topic of the roundtable.
According to the head of the Center for Responsible Gaming, Olga Isaeva, in 2023, the first national study of gambling addiction was conducted in Ukraine with the support from the Ministry of Health. Its findings highlighted a number of challenges in the sector, including identifying people who need professional help for gambling addiction or who are at risk of developing one.
Center for Responsible Gaming and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine decided to launch a project to introduce a system of providing social services for people with gambling addiction. The main sponsor of the project is FAVBET, which has already supported the research and was the first among industry representatives to provide the opportunity to conduct research in its institutions.
The first step towards creating a network of social services for people with gambling addiction in Ukraine will be the development of a state standard of social services “Social and psychological rehabilitation of people with gambling addiction”, including counseling, psychological assistance, legal support, representation of interests and social support.
FAVBET spokesperson, Ksenia Tyurikova, emphasized the importance of working with the problem of gambling addiction in Ukraine. She noted that the country’s legal gambling market is still at an early stage of its development and should be organized taking into account the needs for the safety and comfort of players.
Kristina Dutka, a member of the Ukrainian gambling regulator (KRAIL), emphasized the importance of three basic principles in public policy to combat gambling addiction. The first is educational work aimed at making players understand that gambling is entertainment and not a way to make money. The second is providing health care for those caught in the trap of addiction. And finally, the third principle is the provision of social rehabilitation services for people who have successfully overcome addiction and strive to return to normal life in society.
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