How the Greek Church Combats Gambling Addiction

Within the Greek Orthodox Church, support and prevention activities regarding gambling addiction are decentralized—organized at the level of metropolises and parishes—in cooperation with specialized state agencies and treatment facilities.

A key priority is training priests to recognize addiction and refer individuals for treatment. For instance, in June 2022, the Metropolis of Thessaliotis and Fanariofarsala organized clergy training led by specialists from the “Exodos” Addiction Treatment Center (a specialized addiction therapy program in Greece based primarily in Larissa). Priests are educated on addictions involving drugs, alcohol, gambling, and the internet, and are trained in how to support affected families.

Information campaigns, lectures, and conferences focusing specifically on gambling—and particularly on prevention among children and youth—are held periodically. At the 2026 youth conference of the Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini, and Platamon, for example, online gambling was explicitly highlighted as a risk to young people, alongside other internet-related dangers. The Metropolis of Piraeus was among the first to organize public conferences on the risks of gambling; as early as 2011, it held a major conference titled “The Tragic Consequences of Gambling,” featuring specialists, representatives from civic movements advocating for gambling restrictions, clergy, and public figures. Over the past year, the Metropolis issued an official statement around Christmas and New Year titled “Luck or Divine Providence,” specifically addressing the “obsession with gambling.” This statement highlighted the loss of assets, financial ruin, the breakdown of families, and other severe consequences associated with gambling.

Systematic work is carried out through prevention centers, in which the Church participates. For instance, the Metropolis of Grevena is a co-founder of the “Horizons” Addiction Prevention Center, which operates in conjunction with the national body for addiction prevention and treatment. In 2025, the center’s specialists are conducting special practical sessions with adolescents attending the diocese’s catechism classes. The Metropolis of Grevena also organizes—in partnership with “Horizons” and regional and municipal authorities—a major annual initiative marking June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Concerts and cultural events conveying a message against “all forms of addiction” are being held throughout 2024, 2025, and 2026.

In other words, the Church’s activities in Greece focus on cooperation with specialized services rather than the establishment of its own clinical centers. Specialized centers in Greece provide individual and group counseling, family support, and treatment for gambling addiction. For example, “Oasis” in Thessaloniki runs a dedicated program for gambling addiction that includes assessment, a recovery plan, follow-up, and family support. The clergy and the parish can identify the problem, support the individual and their family, and refer them to a professional program.

Greece has relatively strict state regulations to protect vulnerable groups; however, national studies conducted by the Gambling Supervision and Control Commission in 2025 indicate that 2.6% of the population falls into the high-risk category for developing a gambling addiction—representing approximately one in ten adults. Illegal gambling is an even greater cause for concern. In 2025, 10.6% of the population gambled at least once in an unlicensed environment; estimates suggest that around 894,000 people wagered a combined total of approximately €1.8 billion. About half of those gambling illegally are under the age of 44, with the internet now serving as the primary channel. Risk factors associated with problematic gambling include low income, low levels of education, and economic vulnerability.

Severe cases of domestic violence and crime, in which gambling addiction proves to be a significant factor, also periodically come to the attention of the Greek media and the public. Accumulated debts, the loss of family funds, attempts to conceal the addiction, and mounting tension at home frequently lead to conflicts, threats, and violence. In recent years, homicide cases have also received widespread publicity, with perpetrators or investigating authorities directly linking the financial desperation and criminal motive to gambling addiction. Such tragedies periodically bring the issue of the consequences of problem gambling—not only for the addicted individual but also for their entire family—back into public debate.