Concerning data: 40,000 registered gambling addicts in the country

A concerning picture was presented by participants in a discussion on April 11 between various institutions, including representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDBOP), the Ministry of Sports, the National Revenue Agency (NRA), Members of Parliament, as well as health and education specialists.

Around 40,000 individuals are already registered as gambling addicts, but there are no exact statistics on how many people have this problem. The insidious nature of gambling addiction is that it often begins in childhood with games that have gambling elements, which later lead to betting on illegal websites, often without the parents even suspecting it. Therefore, participants emphasised the need for specific actions from the state to address gambling addiction and illegal online gambling.

Atanas Zafirov, Deputy Prime Minister:

"Gambling is no longer happening only in casinos. It's on phones, in games, on social networks. Sometimes it seems harmless. But behind this facade stands a well-organised system that seeks to create addiction—especially among young people."

Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova, Director of the Psychiatric Clinic "St. Ivan Rilski":

"Gambling addiction is particularly insidious because, unlike all other addictions, it does not cause physical harm. For instance, someone addicted to alcohol directly harms their health. You gamble, you stop gambling, become anxious and tense, but nothing hurts, nothing itches, and for a long time, people don't realise that they have developed an addiction."