Gambling addiction affects 3 per cent of Bulgaria’s population

A recent study reports that more than 200,000 Bulgarians (about 3 per cent of the country’s population, have some kind of gambling addiction. It must be noted that Bulgaria is one of the economically weakest countries in the European Union. Its gambling industry, however, is growing fast and has attained a net worth of around BGN3 billion (€1.5 billion, $1.8 billion).

The study revealed that around 53 per cent of the male population of the country and 44 per cent of its female population gambled last year. Scratchcards, which were recently introduced, is the most popular gambling product in the country. Companies selling those recorded revenue of BGN320 million in 2016, up 30 per cent from the previous year. It is believed that the sector has grown even further over the past two years, mainly thanks to aggressive marketing campaigns.

The study also revealed that there are three main groups of Bulgaria’s population that are at high risk of developing gambling addiction or related gambling-related issues. She has explained that young people are at the greatest risk as they are more impulsive and the parts of the brain that are dedicated to judgment and decision-making are still developing.