But a closer look at those caught up in the cycle of gambling shows that the effects can be devastating. Others usher in new, relaxed gambling rules without accounting for potential fallout. Some governments promote it to fill gaps in government budgets (lotteries are a prime example). In Albania, the government is grappling with a social and health crisis after years of rapid gambling expansion and in the UK, current gambling legislation is under review, with particular focus on the impact on young people.Īs the pandemic escalates global economic crises and behaviours shift further online, the expansion of gambling poses additional risks, especially to young people who face an increasingly uncertain future.Īs a new documentary series for the BBC World Service discusses, opportunities for gambling are rapidly growing around the world. In Kenya, the rise of online sports betting highlights broader social issues – with disillusioned youth using it as a way to fund themselves through university and through life.
The global growth of gambling has led to tensions about what role it can and should play in our societies.
