As it was announced this Monday by the National Betting Authority of the Republic of Cyprus the gambling industry in Cyprus is going to be the object of in-depth research regarding the gaming habits of the residents in the upcoming weeks. This is going to be the first-ever survey among the gambling enthusiasts in the region and the main objective of the study is to provide an overlook of how often the people participate in gambling activities.
The planned survey is also going to offer a more well-rounded characteristic of the typical casino players in Cyprus and how their habits have shaped their behavior in relation to the games of chance. It is going to commence on 25th October and it is expected to continue until the end of the year. In the announcement the gaming authority stated that the aim of the survey is to warn people about the risks of gambling and how participating in such activities can affect their lives. Problem gambling is an issue which has been largely discussed in the recent years and many governments are working towards reducing the negative impact it has on society in general.
One more way in which the community is going to benefit from the upcoming survey is that the government will be able to come up with policies for public protection. Ioanna Fiakou, Chairwoman at the National Betting Authority, stated that it is their responsibility to take care of such studies and surveys which can help with the understanding of how gambling players participate in the games of chance, in order to promote the right measures against problem gambling and raise the awareness regarding the prevention of the issue.
Future Survey in the Works
Insights Market Research Ltd. is going to be assigned with the task to conduct the study in the gambling industry and there will be a total of 3,000 individuals participating in it. This is expected to offer an extensive overlook of the habits of Cypriots when it comes to gambling and casino playing. It will also aim to estimate what percentage of the local players suffer from gambling addiction and how this is affecting their lives. The survey is also going to provide information regarding the level of knowledge these people have when it comes to the problem gambling issue and the negative impact it has on the society.
As it became clear, there are several general profiles of players, among which social, pathological, and borderline addicted players and the study will provide a better way for each player to be characterized as one of those types. Once the study is finished and the data is collected, the authorities will be able to devise better plans for combating gambling addiction. There will be different groups of participants such as minors from 13 to 17, adults from 18 to 34, 35 to 49, 50 to 64, as well as 65 or older. This approach is going to provide a personalized approach to treating gambling addiction later on.
