The System That Encourages Gambling Is Developing Faster Than the System That Helps Addicted Players

In recent months, discussions about the possible legalization of online casinos in Russia have intensified. Government officials, financial institutions, and industry representatives are debating potential tax revenues, regulatory frameworks, and consumer protection measures. However, one perspective is often missing from these conversations—the voice of people who have personally experienced gambling addiction.

We spoke with Alexander Ustinovich, author, gambling addiction advocate, and former problem gambler who has dedicated years to studying gambling-related harm and supporting individuals struggling with addiction.

According to Ustinovich, one of the biggest issues is that gambling policies are often discussed without meaningful input from those who understand the problem firsthand.

Why Former Gamblers Are Rarely Heard

Alexander believes that most public discussions about gambling addiction follow a predictable pattern. Media outlets often focus on dramatic stories about how much money someone lost, while the actual experiences and insights of recovering gamblers receive little attention.

Former gamblers understand better than most how modern gambling products operate, how player retention systems work, and why many prevention measures fail in practice.

As a result, more recovering gamblers are creating their own educational resources, communities, and support networks to fill the gap left by traditional institutions.

Will Credit Card Deposit Restrictions Help?

One of the latest regulatory measures prohibits the use of credit cards for gambling deposits within the legal betting sector.

While the idea appears sensible on the surface, Ustinovich questions its effectiveness.

A person suffering from gambling addiction can simply transfer money from a credit card to a debit account and deposit it from there. The process becomes slightly more complicated, but the underlying behavior remains unchanged.

According to him, such measures often create the appearance of responsible regulation without addressing the root causes of gambling harm.

The key issue is not how a person deposits money, but why they continue gambling despite severe financial consequences.

Online Casino Legalization: A New Market or Recognition of Reality?

One of the most controversial topics remains the potential legalization of online casinos.

Alexander argues that the online gambling market already exists regardless of legal status. Millions of players have access to offshore gambling platforms, alternative payment methods, and international operators.

From this perspective, legalization is less about creating a new market and more about deciding who controls it and who benefits financially.

Industry estimates suggest that tens of billions of rubles flow through unregulated gambling channels every year.

However, Ustinovich believes the discussion should not focus solely on taxation and government revenue.

The more important question is whether legalization would be accompanied by meaningful player protection measures.

Without prevention programs, treatment infrastructure, and responsible gambling tools, legalization alone would do little to reduce gambling-related harm.

What Support Is Available for Problem Gamblers Today?

According to Alexander, this is where the biggest shortcomings become visible.

If a person realizes they have lost control and wants professional help, finding support can be surprisingly difficult.

Many regions lack dedicated treatment programs for gambling addiction. Specialized hotlines are limited or unavailable, and healthcare professionals often do not know where to direct affected individuals.

Ustinovich describes a personal experiment in which he attempted to navigate the healthcare system as a gambling addict seeking assistance.

The results were discouraging.

Reception staff, therapists, and even addiction specialists frequently struggled to explain where gambling addicts should go for treatment.

Part of the problem is that gambling addiction is a behavioral addiction rather than a substance addiction, placing it somewhere between psychology and psychiatry. As a result, patients are often referred from one institution to another without receiving effective support.

The Paradox of Modern Gambling

Alexander points to what he sees as a fundamental contradiction.

The systems designed to attract and retain gamblers continue to evolve rapidly. Gambling companies invest heavily in marketing, behavioral analytics, user retention, and psychological research.

Meanwhile, the systems designed to help gambling addicts develop far more slowly.

Prevention programs remain limited, treatment centers are scarce, and public awareness efforts lag behind the sophistication of modern gambling products.

In practice, it is often easier for someone to start gambling than to find professional help when gambling becomes a problem.

Is Gambling Addiction Simply a Matter of Personal Responsibility?

One of the most common public responses to gambling addiction is that individuals are solely responsible for their own choices.

Alexander acknowledges that personal responsibility matters. However, he believes the issue is more complex.

If people gamble entirely of their own free will, why do gambling operators spend billions on advertising, sponsorships, influencer marketing, and behavioral research?

Modern gambling products are not random entertainment experiences. They are designed and optimized by teams of marketers, analysts, psychologists, and data scientists whose objective is to maximize engagement and retention.

For this reason, Ustinovich argues that gambling addiction cannot be explained solely by individual weakness or poor decision-making.

The Growing Problem of Youth Gambling

One of Alexander’s biggest concerns is the increasing exposure of children and teenagers to gambling-like mechanics.

Many young people encounter gambling concepts long before reaching legal gambling age through loot boxes, case-opening games, skin betting, and other chance-based digital products.

According to his observations, initial exposure often occurs between the ages of 11 and 15.

By the time some individuals reach adulthood, gambling-related behaviors and expectations have already become normalized.

As a result, the problem frequently begins years before a person enters a casino or places their first sports bet.

What a Responsible Gambling System Should Look Like

If online casinos are eventually legalized, Alexander believes regulation should incorporate proven international practices.

Among the most important elements are:

• Higher minimum gambling age requirements.

• Effective self-exclusion programs.

• Free rehabilitation and recovery services.

• 24/7 gambling addiction hotlines.

• Ongoing academic research into gambling-related harm.

• Mandatory funding for prevention initiatives.

• Continuous monitoring of high-risk gambling behavior.

In his view, gambling regulation should focus not only on collecting taxes but also on minimizing social harm.

What Gambling Operators Know About Players

Modern gambling platforms collect vast amounts of behavioral data.

Operators monitor betting frequency, stake sizes, session duration, preferred games, deposit patterns, playing schedules, and numerous other indicators.

This information is used to build marketing campaigns, loyalty programs, bonus offers, and personalized promotions.

Ustinovich argues that the same data could also be used to identify problematic gambling behavior at an early stage.

If operators can detect patterns associated with increased spending and engagement, they should also be able to recognize signs of addiction and intervene before serious harm occurs.

However, such practices remain limited in many markets.

What Happens to Illegal Gambling Sites?

According to Alexander, legalization would likely reduce the size of the illegal gambling sector but would not eliminate it entirely.

Many smaller operators survive because regulated alternatives do not exist. Once legal platforms become available, a significant portion of players would likely migrate to regulated operators.

Nevertheless, some illegal activity would remain.

Underage players, individuals seeking fewer restrictions, and users attracted to offshore platforms would continue to create demand for unregulated services.

For this reason, enforcement and consumer protection efforts would remain necessary even after legalization.

The Real Question

In Alexander Ustinovich’s view, the debate surrounding online casino legalization should not revolve exclusively around taxes, licensing fees, or government revenue.

The real question is whether society is prepared to build a comprehensive system for preventing, identifying, and treating gambling addiction.

Without such a system, legalization may simply redirect gambling revenue without addressing the underlying social consequences.

As Ustinovich puts it:

“Today, the system that encourages gambling is developing much faster than the system that helps people recover from gambling addiction. Until that imbalance changes, any discussion about regulation remains incomplete.”