Romania is lacking experts to deal with higher-than-EU average rates of gambling among minors, politicians have cautioned.
Comments were made by Daniel David, Minister of Education and Research, who based his concerns on the European ESPAD 2024 report, which showed that Romanian youth were among the most prolific users of tobacco, alcohol and gambling in Europe.
David highlighted that the country is not equipped with enough mental health experts to effectively deal with the nationwide compulsive behaviours among children.
“We are above the average in terms of alcohol consumption, smoking, gambling and online addiction,” he said, cited by Romania’s national news agency Agerpres.
“We do not have enough specialists or enough centers. When I say that we do not have specialists, I mean those specifically trained in this field, based on scientifically validated protocols. These are the levels that we need to develop.”
Despite a plethora of awareness campaigns conducted in schools over the last few years, David stressed that compulsive behaviours are most effectively tackled within the family environment, with parents having to take on a proactive role in the prevention and support process.
The Minister raised the topic during a roundtable discussion in the city of Sibiu, where he was joined by a number of healthcare professionals and representatives of child care bodies.
In attendance was also Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of the Romanian branch of international NGO Save the Children, who provided an in-depth look at the exact rate of gambling among under-18s.
She claimed that 14% of children have participated in gambling for money at least once in their lifetime, while 40% know of a peer who gambles.
The numbers are based on the organisation’s recent study on gambling behaviours among minors, which Save the Children has used as a base to call for a blanket ban on all advertisements in the country.
Furthermore, Alexandrescu added that one in 10 children have a family member who is addicted to gambling, which circles back to David’s comment on family support – showing that the adult is often the one who needs help and the impact of their gambling can be felt by other family members.
On that note, the local gambling sector has been continuously advocating for better problem gambling education and stronger self-exclusion policies to better protect the local population.
With a newly-restructured gambling regulator in the face of the ONJN, it remains to be seen whether policymakers will answer these calls.