LONDON/BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Gambling addiction causes much more harm to people than previously thought. This is the conclusion of a commission of experts in the fields of gambling research, public health, global health policy, risk control and regulatory policy, published in the scientific journal "The Lancet". Gambling is "a threat to public health", the report states.

According to the report, gambling addiction can lead to physical and psychological harm, destroy relationships and families, increase the risk of suicide, lead to financial ruin, cause crime and domestic violence and be responsible for job loss.

Almost half a billion people affected worldwide

According to the report, the situation has been drastically exacerbated by the international spread of commercial gambling, but above all by digitalization. "Anyone with a cell phone now has access to a casino in their pocket 24 hours a day," emphasizes Heather Wardle from the British University of Glasgow, co-chair of the commission. According to the report, online sports betting and online casinos are currently the fastest growing sectors.

It is estimated that almost 450 million people worldwide are currently affected by the negative effects of gambling - through at least one behavioral symptom or a personal, social or health-related disadvantage. 80 million people suffer from a gambling disorder or problem gambling - about as many as Germany has inhabitants.

According to the Gambling Atlas Germany 2023, 30 percent of people in Germany take part in gambling. According to this, around 1.3 million people have a gambling disorder and a further 3 million people have problematic gambling behavior. Around one in 13 gamblers develop health, financial or social problems as a result of participating in slot machines, sports betting and other games of chance, according to the report. In recent years, the demand from online gamblers in particular for outpatient support services has risen sharply.

The industry is growing enormously

"Sophisticated marketing and technology make it easier to start gambling and harder to stop," explains Wardle from the University of Glasgow. Many products are designed to encourage repeated and prolonged gambling. "The global growth of this industry is phenomenal, we all need to wake up and act together."

According to the Commission, although this is a global problem, it is not evenly distributed across all sections of the population. People from disadvantaged socio-economic groups are particularly at risk. Countries with low and middle incomes are often less well equipped to regulate the industry and deal with the resulting damage.

Children and young people "particularly vulnerable"

In addition, children and young people in particular are routinely confronted with advertising for gambling products. Furthermore, gambling is often embedded in video games. "Children and young people are particularly susceptible to the lure of easy money and the playful design of online games," explains co-author Kristiana Siste from the University of Indonesia. In advertising, the industry would generally promote gambling as harmless entertainment.

This is why Malcolm Sparrow from the Harvard Kennedy School in the USA emphasizes: "The Commission calls on policy makers to treat gambling as a public health issue, just as we treat other addictive and unhealthy commodities such as alcohol and tobacco."

What measures is the Commission calling for?

As the gambling industry uses innovative digital marketing approaches to promote its products and protect its interests, the Commission calls for an effective and well-resourced regulatory system and international cooperation and leadership to reduce the impact of commercial gambling on public health. This is necessary in all countries - regardless of whether gambling is legal there or not.

Specifically, gambling should be less available in the future. In addition, vulnerable groups should be less exposed to the risk. The Commission is also calling for more support and treatment options for addicts as well as awareness campaigns on the harms of gambling./ram/DP/mis