Rombet introduces a new article from the Responsible Gambling series
The success and positive image of the gambling industry is based on responsible operators, active associations and well-informed players protected from the risks of pathological gambling. And now, when we are at the moment when Romania takes important steps towards setting up the foundation of public interest, Rombet will fully engage in this process as a founding member. The association, which from its establishment has focused on responsible gambling measures and projects, will contribute to the smooth functioning of the Foundation through the know-how gained in years of involvement in the responsible gambling and through the experience of Rombet’s leadership team, whose long-term activity in the industry will be in the benefit of the future institution.
“Rombet has consistently embraced and stepped up the “responsible gambling” approach, which, in our opinion, our members’ and the legislator’s is not just a marketing notion, as sometimes suggested in the media but a very serious and extremely important issue on any organizational strategy and legislative initiatives. We participated in international events in this field, we spent time among the Romanian players and we talked with the representatives of the most important gambling organizers from our country and now we are prepared to make available to the foundation this big luggage of useful information. We want a healthy industry and we contribute to this goal”, said Rombet representatives.
The objective is a major one, and the challenge one to measure.
Thanks to the efforts made in recent years, both internally,- through associations such as Rombet -, and internationally,- through the initiatives of some of the most organizations in the field-, there is now much more knowledge on the mechanisms by which a player passes the threshold of fun to addiction, but also on what are the most appropriate measures to help.
Psychologists mention three types of players that should be considered when talking about gambling: the social player – the one who understood that he is coming to the table or opens the poker site only with the desire to relax, being able to withdraw from the game at any time or accept any financial loss without the desire to regain money; the professional gambler – has turned gambling into a craft and treats it as such, knows when to stop and is very organized; the pathological player – is very attached to the game, emotionally involved, takes on major risks and continues to play, beyond financial possibilities.
The latter player is the target of the “responsible gambling”.
His profile is the one that needs to be analyzed and understood, so dedicated programs are effective and industry is solid and … healthy. Recently, the results of a study led by Dr. Jason Landon and quoted by Reuters analyze more than 3.000 UK players and conclude that, most of the time, men -who are most likely to move to pathological gambling- have a trauma that urges them: either a history of violence at home or at work, a divorce or a lost job, and these are factors that trigger the compulsive gambling mechanism.
Through such studies and initiatives, identifying risk players can be made as fast as a prevention method before addiction can be established.
Or, if the signs of pathological gambling are already evident, this information is extremely valuable to psychologists who know which direction they should guide their therapy.
“Efforts at the international level are made to ensure that the responsible gambling projects are as effective as possible and are, to a great extent, sustained. As representatives of the Romanian industry at some of the most important events dedicated to the subject, in Europe, but also through the development of our own national projects, we have built and consolidated a solid information base that will prove very useful in the demarches of the future foundation.
We are present, we are active and we are determined to position Romania on the map of examples of good practice of responsible gambling”, concluded Rombet representatives.
