VIOREL LUPU

*, IZABELA RAMONA TODIRIȚĂ

* ** Associate Professor to the Department of Child and Adolescent

PsychiatryM.D., Ph. D.

“Iuliu Hațieganu”

University of Medicine and Pharmacye‐mail: violupu@yahoo.com

* *M.A.

Clinician Psychologist and Psychotherapist,

Speech Therapist,

„Iuliu Hațieganu”

School

e‐mail: ramonatodirita@yahoo.comCluj‐Napoca

‐

Romania

ResumeNew regulations regarding gambling in 

Romania according to no. 10 Article from the  Government Emergency Ordinance 77/2009

Novelties in gambling in Cluj‐Napoca

Research results 2010 :Problem Gambling in  Romanian Teenagers (Lupu&Todiriță – in 

press)

Conclusions

New regulations regarding gambling in Romania according  to no. 10 Article from the Government Emergency 

Ordinance 77/2009 

The old licence for gambling is replaced by the new licence  for gambling’s organization (given for 5 years) and the 

authorization to exploit gambling (given each year). 

Considered gambling:

1.

Lotteries

2.  Pari‐mutuel betting and fixed‐odds betting 

3. Gambling specific to casinos 

4.

Slot‐machines

5. Bingo in games rooms 

6. Bingo games organized by TV stations

Not considered gambling:

1. Tombola organized in schools, kindergartens, and other 

communities that have an entertaining and non profit  character for the organizer;

2. Amusing games with machines, vehicles, and other  devices that do not suppose profit based on randomized 

elements, but having the aim of measuring force,  intelligence and dexterity of the participants; 

3. Actions organized by different economic operators,  according to law, aiming at increasing selling and which 

do not imply participation fee or any other type of  payment or contribution from the participants and neither 

raising the price previous to the advertising action

Novelties in gambling in Cluj‐Napoca

Novelties in gambling in Cluj‐Napoca

In July 2010 it was reopened the old “Casino Chios”

from Cluj‐

Napoca. Along with the classical American Poker, Black Jack  and Texas Hold’em

non –stop, there is an improved version of 

Black Jack named Black‐Jack with surprises. Other games are  Punto

Banco

or Baccarat, 3*5*7 Poker. 

There are 4 roulette tables, 4 Black Jack tables and 3 Texas  Hold’em

tables, 17 Slot Machines, an electronic roulette. Casino 

Chios offers refined drinks and food for its clients. There is a limousine also.

This casino has 94 employees and 80 of theme are with an  average age of 20 years while 80% of theme is student (Dinu, 

2010)

Research results 2010 (Lupu&Todiriță

– in press) Problem Gambling in Romanian Teenagers

One thousand thirty two teenagers in Cluj‐Napoca and  Harghita

counties completed a questionnaire with 40 

items including the GA‐20 scale. The sample included  teenagers between 11 and 19 years old, 65.57% being 

male and 34.43% being female. The subjects were  divided into three groups.

The mean age of pathological gamblers is 16.52±1.82  years the youngest gamblers being just 11 years old (two 

gamblers). 

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Number Percentage

Number Percentage

Number Percentage

Female (%) 316 41.96%

43 17.69%

3 8.33%

Male (%) 437 58.03%

200 82.30%

33 91.66%

Total (%) 753 72.96%

243 23.54%

36 3.48%

TOTAL 1032

Legend:Level 1 ‐

0‐1 ‐

non‐gambling/recreational/occasional gambling  

Level 2 ‐

2‐6‐

problematic gambling Level 3 ‐

≥

7 –

pathological gambling  

Sample description

The most frequent games played in gambling Weekly Weekly Number/Number/

PercentagePercentageSometimesSometimes Number/Number/

PercentagePercentage1.Sport betting/Slot machines

1336.11%

1.Playing cards for money 1541.66%

2.Lotto/Internet Casino/Pool bets

925%

2.Sport betting/Scratch tickets/Lotto

1336.11%

3.Roulette/Black-

jack 822.22%

3.Pool bets 1130.55%

4.Playing cards for money 616.66%

4.Internet Casino 1027.77%

5. Stocks 513.88%

5.Slot Machines 925%

6.Horse betting/Playing dice on money

411.11%

6.Roulette/Black-

jack 616.66

7.Playing dice on money 513.88%

8.Stocks 411.11%

9. Horse betting 25.55%

10.Poker 25.55%

Association between gambling and  psychoactive substances abuse

Alcohol Illegal drugs

Legal drugs Smoking

24

(66.66%)

5

(13.88%)

7

(19.44%)

6

(16.66%)

Comparison between 2002 and 2010 

studies in Romanian teenagers  regarding problem gambling diagnosed 

with 20‐GA

Year 2002 2010

Sample 500 adolescents 14-19 years oldCluj, Sălaj, counties43.40% male 56.60% female

1032 teenagers11-19 years oldCluj, Harghita counties65.57% male34.43 % female

Pathological gamblers

346.8%82.36% male and 17.64% femaleSex ratio F

:M 1

:4.6

363.48%91.66% male and 8.33 % femaleSex ratio F

:M 1

:11

Preferred games for gambling

1.Pool-55.88%2.Poker-35.29%3.Bingo-32.25%4.Basketball beting-5.88%5.Roulette and creps-2.94%

1.Sport betting/Slot machines-36.11%2.Lotto/Internet Casino/Pool bets-25%3. Roulette/Black Jack-22.22%4. Playing cards for money-16.66%5. Stocks-13.88%6.

Horse betting/Playing dice for

money-11.11%Maximum amount gambled

0.5-5 Euro-32.35%5-10 Euro -32.35%10-100 Euro -20.58%100-1000 Euro-14.70%

0.5-5 Euro-38.88%5-10 Euro -13.88%10-100 Euro -44.44%100-1000 Euro-2.77%

Year 2002 2010

Academic results Acceptable -

47.06%Modest -

52.94%

Acceptable -

69.44%Modest -

30.55%

School attendance Regular attendance -

35.30%Irregular attendance -

64.70%

Regular attendance -

61.11%Irregular attendance -

38.88%

Family incomes Low incomes -

41.77%Moderate and high incomes -

58.83%

Low

incomes -

52..77%Moderate and high incomes -

47.22%Control perception in gambling

The belief that they can control the game -

76.47%

The chance has no importance in gaining -

26.47%

The belief that they can control the game -

50%

The chance has no importance in gaining -50%

Mean age in starting gambling

13.25±1.51 years 14.94±2.30 years

Group gambling Individual -

17.64%Group -

82.36%

Individual -

22.22%Group -

72.22%

Individual as well as in group - 5.55%

Conclusions

1) The prevalence of problem gambling in the case of 

Romanian teenagers is 23.54% (17.69% female and 82.30%  male), and of  pathological gambling is 3.48% (8.33% 

female and 91.66% male) decreasing compared to 2002  (6.8%).

2) Mean age of pathological gamblers is 16.52±1.82 years  the youngest gamblers being only 11 years old. The mean  age in starting gambling is 14.94±2.30 years.

3) The majority prefers to gamble in groups (72.22%) the  following: Sport betting/Slot machines; Lotto/Internet 

Casino/Pool bets; Roulette/Black Jack; Playing cards on  money; Stocks; Horse betting/Playing dice on money.  

Conclusions

4) The highest amount of money gambled was  between 10‐100 Euros for 44.44% from 

pathological gamblers. 

5) 50% from the pathological gamblers consider 

they can control the game, and 50% considers  that the chance has no importance in gaining.

6) 1/3 from the gamblers has problems in adapting to  school: absenteeism and underachievement. 

Conclusions

7) Pathological gambling is associated with substance 

abuse: alcohol ‐

66.66%, illegal drugs ‐

13.88% and  legal ‐

19.44%, and 16.66% are smoking. 

8) There is a normal distribution in the incomes of  the gambles’

families: low incomes on one hand and 

moderate and high incomes on the other hand. 

9) In 2009 there were made some changes in the 

Romania law defining better what gambling is. 

10) In July 2010 “Casino Chios”

from Cluj‐Napoca was 

reopened and offers a lot more in challenging then  before.  

Thank you!