Bulgarian psychologist Desislava Bezinska has spoken on the country’s struggles with problem gambling. Among other things, she addressed the prevalence of untargeted ads and the damage that gambling harm causes.
Bulgaria’s Gambling Problems Started with COVID
In an interview with Bulgarian news outlet Capital, Bezinska talked about her experience with people suffering from gambling addiction. She reminisced about the first time she was visited by a problem player and said that at the time, there was no information on harm available in the Bulgarian language.
Eventually, Bezinska decided to fill that gap and focused her career on providing support to harmed players. Her clinic, Psihonika, is exclusively dedicated to helping people who have been harmed by gambling.
According to Bezinska, Bulgaria’s serious grappling with gambling addiction began during the COVID pandemic when many casinos went online. According to her, this led to a second pandemic – a gambling addiction one.
Bezinska Has Committed to Helping Harmed Individuals
For context, the start of the COVID pandemic roughly coincided with gambling mogul Vasil Bozhkov’s exit from Bulgaria. Shortly after that, the country licensed many new iGaming operators, vastly expanding the public’s access to online gambling.
Not long after that, Bezinska recognized the need for a dedicated clinic that supports those struggling with gambling addiction. In addition to that, she wrote a book on the topic called “Zalozhen Zhivot” (Gambled Life) to expand Bulgarians’ awareness and teach those harmed by a loved one’s gambling how to help.
Speaking of which, Bezinska told Capital that loved ones often fail to recognize the early signs of harm. At the same time, problem players admit that they have a problem only once they accumulate vast debts. Unfortunately, this can be too late and can lead to relationship strain, social stigma and financial problems.
Luckily, some concerned loved ones do reach out to Bezinska’s clinic on behalf of harmed players, showing a growing level of awareness.
Addiction Can Affect Anyone
Speaking about the trends in Bulgaria, Bezinska said that problem gambling is unisex and affects roughly the same number of men and women. However, she mentioned that women gamblers mostly play online, with most addicts being above the age of 30. Conversely, men begin to experience gambling problems much earlier, usually between the ages of 18 and 25, and play both online and in person.
Bezinska added that different gamblers have different preferences and patterns. When asked whether gambling addiction is caused by dopamine addiction, she admitted that this might be a part of it but noted that she believes adrenaline plays a bigger role. In any case, gambling addiction can be more treacherous since, unlike drug or alcohol addiction, it is caused by an internal reaction to an external stimulation.
Bezinska noted that she believes treatment should combine physical well-being with psychotherapy for the best results. She cited the National Revenue Agency’s (NRA) official self-exclusion registry as a great tool for vulnerable players to improve their condition.
Unfortunately, treatment can sometimes be ineffective, especially for players who have been forced to attend gambling harm treatment sessions by their loved ones. In other cases, shock or other incidents could prompt treated players to return to gambling.
Gambling Ads Commit “Mass Murder” of Bulgarian Children
Bezinska expressed concern about the proliferation of ads. She admitted that her clinic, Psihonika, has had calls about 10-year-old kids addicted to gambling. Among some kids, gambling is a badge of honor that makes them feel “cool,” she said.
When the quantity of gambling ads exploded, Bulgaria’s gambling problems skyrocketed, according to Bezinska. She said that at the beginning, she had to work overtime to deal with all the requests for help.
Since most gambling ads are made by professionals, they often leave lasting impressions on viewers, increasing their chances of gambling.
Ads are created to spark emotion. When they appeal to you, you become more likely to see them as something good. That’s why many use role models and why I am not a fan of ads featuring Rachkov and Stoichkov [Bulgarian actor and former soccer star, respectively] – they leverage beloved characters to commit as “massive murder” of Bulgarian children.
Desislava Bezinska
Better Regulation Could Mitigate Some of the Damage
Bezinska applauded the NRA’s efforts to shield vulnerable players via the self-exclusion registry and crack down on illegal operators. Unfortunately, she told Capital that few others within the government seem interested in the matter.
Bezinska appealed for better regulations and enhanced regulatory oversight. She suggested that a variety of measures, such as loss limits and max bets, could mitigate some of the damage.
In the meantime, Bezinska remains committed to helping problem players and their families find solutions and recover from the damage caused by gambling. She said that it is very important for recovering addicts to recognize the harm they’ve caused to themselves and their loved ones. She said that people who have had to work extra to pay off their debts often experience better recovery since they have a better understanding of the damage they’ve caused.