Estonian Developments of the Legal Instruments Regulating Pathological Gambling

Statements such as ígambling can be a powerful economic development toolî are the kind fostering the acceptance of the proliferation of technologies to aid the spread and availability of gambling opportunities in countries with less sophisticated legal systems. These, together with slogans and the absence of reliable research, the indifference of the population and administrative policies that do not take a stand for a responsible regulation of new socio-economic phenomena, are the main negative factors that require reflection and that should be officially assessed. For long time Estonia showed very little interest in gambling related problems. It seems that all the state was interested in was tax collection. Other questions such as state control over this sector of the market, the corresponding organisation of administrative bodies as well as their specific responsibilities and the state policy concerning internet gambling, including the pathological gambling issue, have not been addressed at all. However, in the last two years the gambling addiction has acquired a special meaning in the country. The personal and sociological impact of this disease was denounced, and thus an official recognition of the problem finally took place: fighting against it has become a priority for different groups