"'A State-Backed Social Disease': How Gambling Flourishes in Serbia and Bosnia", 3 July 2025

...Whether it’s betting on sports, playing roulette or online casino games, the gambling industry has become highly lucrative in both Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina... As governments profit through taxes, individuals and families face emotional and financial trauma.

An anonymous survey conducted for this article by media outlets CAPITAL in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nova Ekonomija in Serbia, collected testimonies from nearly 500 people struggling with gambling addiction. It found that around two-thirds admitted to gambling daily. Forty per cent had borrowed money either to cover debts or to continue gambling.

Many respondents described gambling money meant for rent, food, or utility bills. What began as recreational entertainment quickly spiraled into uncontrollable addiction. Some gambled to fit in with friends. For others, the habit led to bankruptcy, criminal charges, and estrangement from loved ones...

In Serbia and Bosnia, gambling has become a cultural norm. Celebrities, including actors, athletes and musicians, are featured in advertisements for betting platforms...

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 restricted to specific premises, EVL operates thousands of slot machines in public spaces – cafés, petrol stations, bakeries, making gambling accessible even to minors.

In 2023, Republika Srpska earned over 79.5 million euros in gambling-related taxes and fees, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gambling revenue in 2024 exceeded €818 million.

Serbia also collects heavily from the industry. In 2024 alone, the state earned 117.7 million euros in fees related to games of chance. This includes 69.9 million euros from slot machines, 28.9 million euros from betting, and 54.6 million euros from online gambling...

Sociologist Ivan Sijakovic argues that Serbia has created a national dilemma: “The state has essentially manufactured a social disease. In Germany, gambling ads are restricted.”

“The reckless promotion of gambling paints it as fun and profitable. But the reality is different, ruined lives, families, and communities”...

The problem often begins in adolescence, according to sociologist Sladjana Dragisic Labas. She said despite legal age restrictions, online gambling has opened new pathways for youth participation.

“Online gambling is more accessible, faster, more private. Unfortunately, this makes it especially risky for young people,” she said...

...research found nearly half the population knows someone affected by loan sharks, with many borrowing due to gambling debts. Some victims face threats and violence....

In Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity, 76 patients have been admitted to psychiatric care for gambling addiction since 2022, with 17 hospitalised. The youngest was just 18. The average age range of patients is between 23 and 55, with six women among them...