Zelensky wants to limit problem betting among the Ukrainian army

Posted on: April 22, 2024, 4:51 am.

Last updated: April 22, 2024, 4:51 am.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has introduced new restrictions on internet casinos in the country in an effort to combat gambling problems among military personnel.

Ukrainian army soldier Pavlo Petrychenko, who died in combat last week, previously drew attention to the deployment patterns of troops deployed in the war against Russia. Before his death, Petrychenko asked Zelenskyy to crack down on military members’ access to internet casinos.

Military personnel are away from their families for the third year, in stressful conditions and without the possibility of complete rest, so they are psychologically particularly vulnerable,” Petrychenko wrote in a March 29 letter to the Ukrainian president. “For many, gambling becomes the only way to cope with stress, quickly causing dopamine addiction and weakening their self-control.”

Although he did not identify specific operators, Petrychenko said some gaming companies are preying on Ukrainian soldiers by offering microloans that lead to financial strain on the troops and their families. He added that some Russian companies are marketing directly to Ukrainian citizens and military members in an effort to obtain sensitive data.

Ukrainian troops sell equipment to fuel gambling habits

The gambling problem among Ukrainian soldiers is all the more problematic when you consider Petrychenko’s story about some troops selling equipment, including drones and thermal imaging equipment, to raise money for their gambling habits.

However, Americans’ enthusiasm for financing Ukraine is waning, especially as inflation and interest rates in the country remain high relative to historical norms. American concerns about Ukraine’s military financing are compounded by speculation that proper accountability for U.S. military assistance to the country is limited. There are also rumors that equipment given to Ukraine by NATO allies was sold for profit on the black market and not used in the fight against Russia..

Zelenskyy seeks help from Big Tech

In an effort to limit troops’ exposure to mobile gambling applications, Zelenskyy is asking for help from Apple and Google parent Alphabet, the companies behind the two largest app stores. The Ukrainian cabinet has reportedly asked these two US tech companies to remove unregulated gambling apps from their app stores.

In his letter to Zelenskky, Petrychenko requested that the Verkhovna Rada – Ukraine’s equivalent of a congress – take measures to force internet service providers to block access to unregulated internet casinos, ban pawn shops from accepting military equipment and ban gaming-related advertising targeting ban Ukrainian troops. , among other requests.

“Huge debts of military personnel with a gaming addiction can also become an element of pressure and manipulation by the special services of the aggressor country,” Petrychenko wrote. “According to Article 93 of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President has the right of legislative initiative, and the bills identified as urgent by the President of Ukraine are considered in advance by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.”