site.btaHalf of Bulgarians Believe Toto Is More Responsible Form of Gambling than Other Schemes

The recent changes in the Gambling Act served as a clear indication of the growing need to undertake a completely new approach to the participants in the sector, and the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator (BST) initiated a nationally representative market survey aimed at tracking public attitudes towards the term "responsible gaming". The survey was conducted by the "Nasoca" sociological agency on behalf of the totalizator using the semi-standardized interview method in the period July 5 to 15 among 1,066 adult Bulgarian citizens in large cities and small towns.

The results of the survey show that in people’s minds, the BST fulfils the principles of responsible gaming to the greatest extent. More than three quarters of adult Bulgarian citizens are familiar with the term and can interpret it, albeit with a different focus. Some 19% of the respondents understand the concept of responsible gaming as creating tools for the player to self-restrain; another 19% of the interviewees think that responsible gaming should contain practices that do not invite betting, while a similar proportion - about 17% of the respondents - think that responsible gaming should consist in giving a part of the gambling operator's winnings to good causes. In this respect, the BST's core mission of supporting Bulgarian sport and culture is fully in line with perceptions. In 2023 alone, the BST supported these two extremely important public spheres with over BGN 97 million. Another 16% of the respondents believe that the term includes conducting awareness campaigns by the gambling operator regarding betting addiction.

Half (49%) of all interviewees are of the opinion that the BST tries to implement these principles, doing it better than other gambling operators in the country. In 2021, the BST initiated a strategic plan that helped it to become the first gambling operator in the country to be awarded the sector's only European Lotteries Responsible Gaming Certification.

Public attitudes towards the gambling sector vary nationally, with several parallel trends identified: according to nearly half (48%) of respondents, gambling is an economic activity insofar as it brings profit to its promoters. The recreational nature of the sector is not ignored - for 40% of respondents gambling is simply a game or entertainment, while 34% see it as an opportunity to get rich quick. However, almost a quarter of respondents confirm that gambling brings revenue into the state budget to support sport and culture. A total of 36% of respondents felt that only the State should organize such games.

Regarding the frequency of practicing different varieties of gambling, 41% of all interviewees admitted that they do not think along these lines; 44% of people who gamble think about it at most 1-2 times a week, and most often this is not related to regular betting. Even more significant are the findings that almost three-quarters (71%) of those who gamble do not do so under the influence of strong emotions; almost 78% of those who gamble do not feel anxious or irritated if they cannot, for some reason, realise their bet immediately; 63% of those who gamble bet small amounts simply for luck. One of the main indications of the potential risk of developing a gambling addiction is the emotion involved in betting, and the survey clearly indicates that a significant proportion of the public perceive games of chance as fun to be had responsibly. 

The majority (83%) of those who gamble observe financial discipline and do not exceed a certain limit that they consider reasonable; 20% of gamblers do not increase the size of their usual bets because they stick to a fixed budget; and 68% do not react to their loss with a new bet. 

The notion that the majority of gamblers adhere to the principles of responsible gambling is supported by 90% of participants stating that gambling does not interfere with their social relationships. The survey found indications that only 2% of respondents showed signs of developing a gambling addiction. For its part, the BST has a special section on its website, which is regularly updated with information and current campaigns aimed at a sensible attitude towards betting and gaming.