Science and association in the field to promote and experiment with awareness-raising, information and integrated training opportunities on the topics of prevention and treatment of alcohol dependence and pathological gambling disorder, for a progressive recovery of balanced lifestyle habits.
In 2021, a total of more than 31,000 people were assisted by the services for the
pathological addictions (SerDP) of the Usl Companies of Emilia-Romagna (exactly 31,207), 1,139 of which for problems related to gambling: 3.7% of the total assisted. More than half of these (602, or 52.8%) are pathological gamblers, who have turned to services for the first time.
These are numbers in a slight countertrend, after the peak of 1,724 people reached in 2019, in the pre-pandemic period. This is what emerges from the documentation relating to the protocol signed by the Region with associations and universities on the problems of alcoholism and gambling addiction.
the gambling between the Italians and the Emiliano-Romagna
(Source: IPSAD Italia Research 2017-2018 and Report 2020 on the spread of gambling in Emilia-Romagna, through the GAPS-Gambling study
Adult Population Survey)
Emilia-Romagna has been collaborating for years with the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the National Council of
Research (Cnr) of Pisa for the systematic survey on the use of psychoactive substances and gambling among the general population (IPSAD Research Italy) and among high school students in the age group between 15 and 19 years (Research ESPAD Italy ).
According to the latest IPSAD 2017-2018 survey, 62.4% of the Italian population (approximately 17 million inhabitants) have gambled / gambled at least once in their lives, while 42.8% have at least one time in the last year of the survey, with an increase of about 15 percentage points compared to the previous survey.
Gambling between Italians and Emilia-Romagna
(Source: IPSAD Italia Research 2017-2018 and Report 2020 on the spread of gambling in Emilia-Romagna, through the study GAPS- Gambling Adult Population Survey)
Emilia-Romagna has been collaborating for years with the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the National Council of
Research (Cnr) of Pisa for the systematic survey on the use of psychoactive substances and gambling among the general population (IPSAD Research Italy) and among high school students in the age group between 15 and 19 years (ESPAD Research Italy).
According to the latest IPSAD 2017-2018 survey, 62.4% of the Italian population (approximately 17 million inhabitants) have gambled / gambled at least once in their lives, while 42.8% have at least one time in the last year of the survey, with an increase of about 15 percentage points compared to the previous survey.
The GAPS survey on Emilia-Romagna conducted in 2020 on the population aged 18-84 (over 3.6 million inhabitants) found that almost 69% played at least once in their lives, with a higher prevalence than surveyed nationally and more than a third (36.3%) did so in the year before the survey. Among last year’s players, there is not much difference between the sexes: 39% are men and 34.6% are women.
Regarding the game profile, the IPSAD study highlights, at a national level, a profile of
game “at risk” in 23.5% of players, while at the regional level this percentage stands at
14% (about 1 in 7 players). Among this type of player, more than half (about 60% in the region and 40% nationally) report having an overall budget in the red.
Gambling among young and very young people
(Source: ESPAD Italia 2019 Research)
The research was conducted in 2019 on a sample of 3,661 high school students
of Emilia-Romagna who voluntarily replied to an anonymous questionnaire. Sul
sample of respondents, 44% of students, mostly male and adult, played at least once in their lifetime and 41% in the 12 months prior to the survey. Of the latter, 68% played only occasionally (less than once a month) and 11% twice or more a week. Regarding the level of risk related to players in the last year, the comforting fact is that 83% of students have a “risk-free” behavior, 11% “at risk” and the remaining 6% “problematic” .
Alcoholics assisted by the Alcohol Centers of Emilia-Romagna
In Emilia-Romagna in the two years 2020-2021, complicating the restrictions imposed by the Covid emergency, the number of people with alcohol abuse problems taken care of by the special Centers set up at the SerDP, has dropped significantly: 12,198 in 2019, 8,970 in 2021 (-26.5%).
Global volume of money played in Italy and Emilia-Romagna, and number of game rooms that
ceased operations between 2019 and 2021
In general, among players, bars / tobacconists are the chosen places to play (50.4%), followed by gambling houses and betting rooms (25.8%) and their home or friends through online platforms ( 15.4%).
The most popular games of chance are: video lotteries and slot machines, scratch cards, lottery and
super lottery, casino games, “Win for life”, sports or equestrian betting, bingo, online games with cash winnings (eg online poker).
According to the report published by the Customs and Monopolies Agency in the “Blue Book”
The overall volume of money played in Italy in 2020 was a total of more than 88 billion euros compared to the 110 recorded in 2019. The decline (- 20%) on game consumption
gambling / luck is essentially due to the closure of places dedicated to physical gambling
as a result of measures taken to combat the Covid-19 epidemic.
But already since 2019 there has been a decline in the data on the collection of money from gambling in some regions (above all: Valle d’Aosta, Trentino-Alto Adige, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Lazio) due to both reduction of the number of “slot machine” devices in operation in the territory, both at the entry into force of the municipal regulations regarding the opening hours of the game points.
Emilia-Romagna continues to record one of the most significant “physical network” collections. Give the data
recorded in 2020 shows that it ranks fourth, after Lombardy, Campania and Lazio, in terms of total collection volumes. If the volumes of gambling are related to the adult population, in 2020 more than 810 euros were lost for each resident adult against the 779 euros of the loss sustained at national level by adult citizens resident
Between 2019 and 2021 in Emilia-Romagna out of a total of 551 exercises for gambling in cash, including gambling houses and sports betting and lottery receipts, super lottery and scratch cards are
a total of 42 who ceased operations, 7.6% of the total.
The signatories of the agreement are the regional councilor for health policies, the rectors of the University of Bologna Giovanni Molari, the University of Ferrara Laura Ramaciotti, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Carlo Adolfo Porro and the University of Parma Paolo Andrei; with them, the legal representatives of the self-help associations AA Alcoholics Anonymous, Family Groups Al-Anon APS, regional headquarters of the Clubs of alcoholics in treatment and territorial alcoholic clubs Hudolin method, Giocatori Anonimi Italia and GAM-ANON Italia.
In this way, on the basis of the commitment of the Regional Government and all those involved, the network of awareness, information, in-depth training and training in the university environment on issues related to alcohol addiction and pathological gambling is strengthened; The involvement of experts and university professors is essential to open an educational channel that allows the inclusion of the theme of alcoholism and self-help within academic paths, training students, trainees and future professionals.
The document provides for the establishment of a specific Joint Committee composed of qualified experts from each of the signatory bodies and associations, which will take care of all aspects necessary to achieve the objectives set out in the Protocol, develop any innovative proposals on the topics covered by the agreement and monitor the implementation of the actions provided for at the local level.
The Protocol, in summary
The Memorandum of Understanding aims to create a network of subjects – Universities, associations, territorial service professionals (SerDP alcohol centers) and hospitals – to deepen the knowledge of behavioral addictions from alcoholism and pathological gambling, in the field of study courses for future doctors, psychologists, nurses, educators, social workers. In particular, the agreement provides for the implementation of specific training activities, the organization of information and in-depth events and the promotion of dissertations on addiction.
