Wels: Gambling addiction counselling present at the European Championship public viewing

Great emotions and a positive atmosphere are to be expected at the public viewings of the European Football Championship on Wels’ town square. Employees of the city’s gambling addiction counseling service will also have a stand at the event: They will draw attention to the addictive potential of sports betting. From June 25 to 27, the service will take place alternately on Kaiser-Josef-Platz, Minoritenplatz and the town square. “Gambling addiction also affects those around those affected. In the city of Wels, our competent gambling addiction counseling staff offer help for sufferers and their families,” says social affairs officer and deputy mayor Christa Raggl-Mühlberger (FP).

Help for those affected by sports betting addiction is also available in Wels at the monthly meetings of the self-help group “Game Over, Life On”, or “GOLO” for short. The founder and contact person is Stefan Resch, who was once affected by the addiction himself.

Gambling addicts made up the second largest group (43 percent) of the 89 people who were counseled by the Wels gambling addiction counseling service last year. 58 percent struggled with slot machines, 16 with poker – some were affected by more than one addiction. 25 relatives also sought help from the counseling center.

On average, those advised in Wels were 35 years old, with the age range being from 17 to 63. On average, they had debts of 15,000 euros, the highest amount being 900,000 euros.

These figures were announced yesterday at a press conference, which was also attended by Monika Lierzer from the Styrian Gambling Addiction Centre. “After slot machines, sports betting has the highest potential for addiction among gambling games,” said the expert.

Further information on the gaming advice service can be found here.

Contact self-help group “GOLO”: ooe.golo@gmail.comStefan Resch