Slovakian regulator taps university to create gambling awareness programme
The University of Trnava has been tasked with creating a programme to raise awareness of gambling risks and harms.
Slovakia.- The Slovakian Gambling Regulatory Authority (URHH) has tasked theUniversity of Trnava’s Faculty of Education with creating a programme to raise awareness about the risks and harms of gambling. The regulator has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the university, seeking to integrate “professional knowledge and academic training” into gambling education and governance.
Through the collaboration, the faculty will gain access to national gambling data, which will be used to design an educational framework for both lecturers and students. The curriculum will cover topics such as gambling regulation, addiction prevention, the challenges of digital environments and the rise of new online gambling formats.
Once the programme is complete, the university will produce academic outputs including theses, conference participation, and methodological materials to support schools and other educational institutions as well as public authorities.
Libuša Baranová, Director General of URHH, stressed the value of combining the body’s regulatory work with academic research: “The topics of gambling, online gaming and digital addictions are increasingly affecting the young generation, and this requires a sophisticated and professional approach. I believe that by combining our expertise with the University of Trnava Faculty of Education’s academic tradition, we will create a strong mechanism to protect the most vulnerable and contribute to the formation of future educators as pillars of prevention in our society.”
The project aligns with the regulator’s strategy to strengthen gambling protections. URHH’s 2025 market report showed that online gambling has overtaken land-based venues as the dominant segment in Slovakia, marking a significant change in player behaviour.
According to the report, losses from land-based casinos and gambling halls reached €469.3m in 2025, while online losses reached €570m. Meanwhile reports have raised concerns about the rise of unlicensed gambling in Slovakia.
