Gambling is very popular in the world, which is clearly confirmed by the statistical data related to this business. According to one study, 51% of the world's population participates in these types of games for fun at least once a year. The main feature of the gaming business is that it gives people the opportunity to have fun, and while having fun, it can also win money, and this opportunity is built on the principle of randomness. Gambling is an important sector for the economy of many countries, including Georgia. Therefore, in the developed countries of the world, including Georgia, a lot of resources are spent to ensure that the public is properly informed and to create or further refine the principles of responsible gaming. Gambling is a game that is played for money and in which winning or losing is subject to the principle of chance. It is quite possible for a person to gamble and not be addicted to it.

Arguably, people who call all gamers game addicts and attach discriminatory labels are only contributing to the spread of stigma. In fact, it is possible for a person to gamble and not be addicted to it. Whether or not occasional gaming develops into an addiction, as psychologists and psychiatrists say, is a very complex question and depends on a number of biological, psychological, familial and social factors.

"From the first of March until today, 1210 natural persons are registered in the list of dependent persons in the database of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance, of which 16 persons are based on the judge's order, and 1194 are based on the person's request.

If we look at the statistics of gambling addicts in the world by country, we will see that the percentage of problem gamblers ranges from 0.5-5% (problem gambling 2020 data America - 2.5% Great Britain 2.7% Belgium - 1.6% Denmark - 0.9% Estonia - 2.6 % France - 0.4% Germany - 0.64%) Accordingly, the populist opinions spread in Georgia that the number of dependents is hundreds of thousands of people, is clearly false and is not based on any qualified research or statistical data. This is confirmed by the leading psychiatrists and psychologists in Georgia, as well as no research organization has conducted a qualified study in the direction of problem gambling, therefore, talking about such statistics on the part of any person is only speculation and manipulation of numbers against the gambling business. According to the claims of radical non-governmental organizations, hundreds of thousands of people should have been registered on this list, but the number of registered people clearly shows their incompetence in studying the mentioned issue.

"It is quite difficult to understand whether a person is addicted to the game or not, some people have even turned the game into a profession, it is very difficult to tell a person whether he is addicted or not, maybe he refrains from playing for some reason, even if he wants to.

Often people invent their own systems, make calculations and play with specific mathematical formulas. Also, maybe people didn't even play, but still entered the bookmaker to understand the internal situation and specific moods. The game becomes problematic when people think that fortune is on their side and sooner or later they will still win the money. Here comes the danger of this game turning into an obsession. Superstitions take root in a person's consciousness and he considers each environmental factor as a magical sign and thinks that he will definitely win this day. Such cases may be repeated five times a day.

All over the world, in most countries, gambling is a legal business, and it doesn't matter what kind of economic background the country has, for example, lotteries and gambling have a lot of customers across America and Europe." Revaz Zorbenadze, psychologist, professor of Tbilisi State University, said in an interview with the Gaming Business Association. .

The association also talked to psychiatrist Avtandil Vanadze:

"There is no qualified research in Georgia, it has never been conducted, I can tell you with certainty that people who mention specific numbers about the number of people addicted to gambling and talk about researches are only spreading fake information.

Other behavioral disorders such as shopping, video games, Internet and social media addiction, anything that causes the human body to produce adrenaline, are similar to gaming addiction. Also "bikers", mountaineers, have a way of controlling their adrenaline. We can't consider game addiction with only one angle and one factor, we can't say that a person who goes to play is still a game addict. There are no such concepts as involvement, coercion, because the prerequisite of dependence must exist in the person and psyche of a person. To say that if the gambling business was banned, that person would not have become addicted to gambling is wrong. The youth should be deeply enlightened and informed about what gambling can bring them, a discussion should be held. These conversations should not turn into arguments, sharp confrontations and cursing, which unfortunately happens today. There should be a lot of information about gambling, what is mania and what is the norm should be distinguished.

There are many misconceptions and stigmas that if you are addicted to gambling, you must also steal or another version is that you must have an addiction to alcohol. Such stereotypes are false and superficial. The gambling business itself and the people employed in this business are also stigmatized. We have to fight all this with maximum information. Society must receive and perceive information correctly and then process said information correctly. It is impossible to fight gambling addiction in the 21st century with prohibition and anti-propaganda."

Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Center for Brain Research at the University of Sydney, Masal Geisenberg, has published a research report on gaming in virtual environments in recent years. The results of a study conducted at Southern Cross University (Australia) clearly show that the main reasons for gambling addiction are not in online casinos.

“My research focuses on understanding the psychology of gambling and other behavioral addictions, particularly as it relates to emerging technologies, including online gaming. My research aims to develop harm reduction strategies and improve well-being.”

The results of Gainsbury's study were published under the title "Online Gambling Addiction: The Relationship Between Online Gaming and Disordered Gambling". Research has shown that there is strong evidence and argument that online gambling is not a significant problem. At the same time, the professor continues to research and look for the causes of addiction. Sally Gainsbury thinks the main source of gambling addiction may be more traditional casinos.

Therefore, it is important to take into account the advice of professionals, including avoiding superficial and populist statements, so as not to add more problems to people who suffer from this disorder. It is best to stay away from stigmatizing terms such as "ludomania," which contains "mania" and makes society feel negatively about people. It is also very important to understand that it is possible for a person to gamble and not be addicted to it.

According to Giorgi Mamulaishvili, the head of the gaming business association, it is better to make efforts to eliminate specific problems than to introduce any prohibitions and restrictions. Administrative resources should be directed to the development of principles of responsible gaming and not to the imposition of additional regulations. World practice has shown that the ban leads to the formation of an unhealthy environment, which in turn contributes to even more involvement of the population in disordered and uncontrolled games.