site.btaExperts Discuss Gambling Advertising Restrictions and Risks for Young People

Experts, representatives of institutions and civil society organizations discussed on Monday the effectiveness of restrictions on gambling advertising and the impact of online betting on young people. The event was organized by Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB).

The discussion was related by a case with a school entrance, bricked up so that the school would not fall within the 300-metre exclusion zone for the location of gambling facilities near educational institutions.

Between 2% and 4% of people have problematic gambling addiction, while 1.5% are compulsive gamblers, said Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Alexander Simidchiev.

Bulgaria is among the countries with the highest rate of betting among school students, said security expert Tihomir Bezlov of the Center for the Study of Democracy. He noted that the gambling prize pool in Bulgaria amounted to BGN 44 billion in 2025, according to data from the National Revenue Agency. "It is good to have normality so that gambling does not end up on the blacklist if it is completely banned. That is why I would leave only tourism-related gambling," Bezlov said.

Eva Borisova of the National Network for Children and the Parents Association said that permission for a school in Plovdiv had been refused because of the presence of a gaming hall nearby. She added that fast-loan businesses are also a serious problem and that unless the regulation of fast loans is changed, the speed at which people fall into debt will increase.

The urban environment is highly dynamic and opportunities for pedestrian access change, which makes it impossible to create a realistic and sustainable scheme, said Zhorzheta Rafailova, Director of Sofiaplan. According to her, amendments to the ordinance defining the methodology for measuring the distance from protected sites are needed to effectively achieve the objective of the ban on gambling advertising.

Vices must be regulated so that they do not turn into a disease and a serious social problem for two groups,  children and the socially vulnerable, said media expert and cultural analyst Prof. Georgi Lozanov. There should be localization of gaming halls in places where these groups do not have access, he added. "We are a gambling nation because the level of socio-political anxiety in society is high and because we do not feel happy, unlike other nations," Prof. Lozanov commented.

CC-DB MP Venko Sabroutev said he plans to submit a proposal for a complete ban on gambling advertising.

Among those attending the event was the DSB leader Atanas Atanasov.