Pope Leo XIV warns against spread of gambling, saying it is ruining many families

Pope Leo XIV called attention to the “scourge of gambling” because it “ruined many families.”

The head of the Catholic Church and ruler of Vatican City became pope in May 2025, one of the latest declarations to date first American pope. He met with mayors from across Italy on Monday and called on them to promote authentically human relationships to combat gambling and other expressions of loneliness.

In a press release reporting on the Pope’s speech to those present, he also spoke about how statistics have recorded a sharp increase in gambling in Italy in recent years.

Pope Leo XIV deplored the spread of gambling, saying it was ruining many families.

He met with mayors from across Italy on Monday, calling on them to promote “authentically human relationships” to combat gambling and other expressions of loneliness.

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– Vatican News (@VaticanNews) December 29, 2025

According to media reports, Italy is Europe’s largest gaming market and ahead of countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Gross gaming revenues reached €21.5 billion in 2024 as the country experiences a gambling boom.

Italy is Europe’s largest gambling market, and Pope notes its rise

The Pope said (in a translated version): Unfortunately, our cities experience forms of marginalization, violence and loneliness that need to be addressed. I would particularly like to draw attention to the scourge of gambling, which ruins many families.

“Statistics have recorded a sharp increase in Italy in recent years. As Caritas Italiana points out in its latest report on poverty and social exclusion, this is a serious problem of education, mental health and social trust.

“We cannot forget other forms of loneliness from which many people suffer: mental disorders, depression, cultural and spiritual poverty, social abandonment. These are signs that indicate the extent to which there is a need for hope. To demonstrate this effectively, politics is called upon to weave truly human relationships between citizens by promoting social peace.”

The Pope is not the first to mention the increase in this activity, as was the case in June this year when the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, was quoted as saying: “(Gaming) ruins people, it impoverishes, in many cases it destroys relationships, so it is clear that a huge effort (to control it) is necessary on everyone’s part.” »

While some in Italy calls for greater regulations, particularly those within the Catholic Church, it will be interesting to see how the government responds as the industry moves forward into 2026.

Featured image: © Vyacheslav Argenberg / https://www.vascoplanet.com/

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