Reliable statistics on gambling addiction are scarce. A 2018 study by Serbia’s Institute for Public Health estimated between 51,000 and 93,000 people were problem gamblers, including up to 33,000 extreme cases.
Despite being seven years old, it is the latest official data on this issue. In Bosnia, the number of problem gamblers has been reported at 50,000 for over a decade, though actual figures may be higher.
The paradox of gambling in the region is that the very institutions meant to regulate it are among its largest beneficiaries. In Republika Srpska, the state is the biggest operator of gambling services through the public company Elektronska Video Lutrija (EVL), co-owned by the state lottery.
While private operators are…