Every fourth child aged 13 to 17 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) participates in some form of gambling. Between 2016 and 2023, citizens of the Federation of BiH spent approximately 13 billion BAM in betting shops. To prevent this issue and reduce the number of children and young people gambling, the Association for Addiction Prevention NARKO-NE, is implementing the preventative program Who Actually Wins? in high schools in Sarajevo Canton and Tuzla Canton.
Sanela Pekić from the NARKO-NE Association highlighted during a conference on December 4 in Sarajevo that evaluations of the program in Sarajevo and Tuzla Cantons showed high effectiveness in strengthening protective factors among students, particularly by increasing accurate knowledge about gambling and the gaming industry. The key idea of this universal prevention program is to act before risky behaviors emerge. A significant number of students expressed willingness to recommend the program to their friends, indicating they recognized its positive aspects and found it beneficial for others.
Although the law prohibits betting shops within 100 meters of schools and religious institutions, this regulation is rarely enforced.
While this remains a significant problem, Prof. Dr. Neven Ricijaš, one of the program’s authors from Croatia, emphasized the growing issue of online gambling, which is expected to increase in the coming period. Ricijaš noted that women are more inclined toward online gambling, while men tend to prefer casinos and betting shops. Unlike substance addiction, gambling addiction is a hidden dependence, often detected too late, with 10% of gamblers developing an addiction.
Marko Romić, a specialist in trauma psychology who works daily with individuals suffering from gambling addiction, stressed that pathological gamblers often conceal their problem. It is usually wives, mothers, or daughters who seek help for their loved ones. Recently, there has also been a rise in the number of women reporting gambling addiction.
Given the situation, NARKO-NE aims to include more schools across Bosnia and Herzegovina in youth gambling prevention initiatives. Preventive programs need to be comprehensive, involving all relevant target groups and conducted in multiple settings simultaneously (schools, media, families, workplaces, and legislative frameworks). Prevention must be continuous, planned, and systemic, rather than ad hoc activities that may harm rather than benefit children and youth, as is often the case.
Who Actually Wins? is the only scientifically proven gambling prevention program in Europe. NARKO-NE, with the support of the Institute for Youth Development KULT, has obtained the license for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ajka Rovčanin from the Institute emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing this issue: NARKO-NE is one of the organizations that laid a strong foundation for fostering healthy development among children and youth and recognized the role of schools in gambling prevention. The educational system provides a solid base, complemented by the strong influence of families. I especially thank the Swedish Embassy in BiH and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for recognizing the needs of organizations to work together in the best interests of children and youth, creating a better environment for their growth and development in BiH. It is our collective duty to create safe spaces for children and youth, invest in their values, education, and emotional support to ensure their development and future prosperity.
The implementation of the program has been supported by the Ministry of Education of Sarajevo Canton, the Ministry of Education of Tuzla Canton, the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla Canton, and the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences in Tuzla.
Azra Halilović
