The Czech Republic is to begin fighting gambling as an illegal drug under national government-approved changes to the country’s strategy in the anti-drug policy.
According to the ČTK Czech news agency, national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil said that the strategy will now include the measures to restrain access to gambling, as well as alcohol, in order to lower their impact.
Under the new strategy, which is valid until the end of 2018, the word ‘drugs’ has been replaced with “addictive substances and gambling” in order for extra measures to be taken against such activities.
Vobořil highlighted that citizens in the country have high access to gambling facilities.
He said that last year there were 7.5 gambling machines per 1,000 inhabitants in the Czech Republic, a ratio that is much higher than in neighbouring countries Slovakia, Germany and Poland.
In addition, 2012 saw Czech people place a total of Kč14 billion (€507.9 million/$635 million) in online bets with licensed gambling operators, with this figure approximately the same for wagers placed with untaxed foreign gambling websites.
Up to 170,000 adults in the country are at risk of problem gambling while 80,000 of these individuals may have developed gambling addiction issues.
The results of the strategy are due to be evaluated in March 2019.
