The EU will consider accepting gambling problems as a social disease

The aim is that addiction to games of chance is considered as a social disease and boost preventive and informative measures, as it happens with tobacco and alcohol addiction.

This is the beginning of a large process that could conclude with a regulation adopted by the European Commission that could control gaming, as well as it is being established with smokers or with especial materials used in operations.

The Commission of Environment, Public Health and Food Security, Interior market and Consumer Protection, and the one on Employment and Social Services, will start creating work groups to get to know in detail the impact of gambling problems in European societies. A society from Aragon, Azajer, was the one that leaded this initiative. Last May, it was presented in Brussels, before the Petition Commission. Now, once conclusions have been reached, the president of this commission, Martin Libicki, has communicated this association that the petition has been accepted and sent to those three commissions.

Despite the fact that each time the number of people affected by the gambling addiction increases, every country has a different legislation towards gaming, and in much cases, it is quite permissive. It is one of the questions that worries Azajer, and more, in a moment in which online gaming is being expanding in Internet, which complicates even more the access control of the people that might be affected by the addiction.

With this initiative, the UE aims to legislate in a common way for the 27 countries, as it does with other matters related to the habits of its citizens and their health. The consideration of the gambling addiction as a social disease would allow to treat this problem by millions of Europeans. 

Once this step is given, which will conclude with a series of studies that will be delivered to the European Government, could also have their repercussion before Gran Scala project, which could be installed in Ontineña council, and which counts with the support of the Aragón government, which has also legislated to regulate its introduction.

Azajer will take part in a working group, together with a few groups similar to the ones existing in countries such as UK or France.