Gambling regulation must first and foremost reduce the rate of problem gambling
The Institute for Rational Addiction Policy organized a webinar for members of the Czech Parliament and presented a study that outlines the risk levels of different types of gambling and offers a comprehensive overview of its current societal impacts. The institute highlighted that the original intent behind the Czech Gambling Act—to reduce the number of problem gamblers and the associated social harms—remains unresolved.
Prague, December 2, 2020 - The Institute for Rational Addiction Policy organized a webinar for members of the Czech Parliament and presented a study that outlines the risk levels of different types of gambling and offers a comprehensive overview of its current societal impacts. The institute highlighted that the original intent behind the Czech Gambling Act—to reduce the number of problem gamblers and the associated social harms—remains unresolved. Furthermore, Czech legislation lacks a system for assessing the risk potential of individual games when granting licenses, as well as a mechanism for applying targeted preventive measures.
While the availability of gambling in gaming halls and casinos (such as slot machines and live games) has decreased in the Czech Republic in recent years, it remains high in an international context. Jindřich Vobořil emphasized the need to reform the gambling market to reduce its overall risk and lead to a decline in problem gambling.
František Trantina, an expert on pathological gambling from the Department of Addictology at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and the General University Hospital in Prague, pointed out the lack of funding for treatment and follow-up care for gamblers: “A common misconception is that gambling revenues invested in sports help prevent gambling addiction. That’s not true. As an addiction specialist, I don’t care how gambling is taxed if none of the revenue goes toward research, treatment, or prevention.”
Aleš Rod, director of the Centre for Economic and Market Analysis, added: “Excessive regulation creates economic barriers and fuels a shadow market. The gambling market is driven by demand. There's a big difference between regulating demand and regulating the activity that responds to it.”
Experts agree that taxation should reflect the specific risks associated with different types of gambling, so that contributions to public finances and solutions for problem gambling are proportionate to the harm caused. Rational and effective gambling regulation must include support for those directly affected—problem gamblers and their families—and provide financial resources, including tax allocation options, for an agency focused on prevention and treatment. Only then can the risks associated with gambling be minimized and problem gambling effectively addressed.
