Lombardy addiction report counts 2,830 gambling disorder patients

More than 42,000 people in Lombardy were in treatment for addictions to substances, alcohol and gambling disorder, according to the Nexus report, which was produced with data from the region's health structures as part of the "Italia delle dipendenze 2025" research. The figures relate to last year and cover seven of the region's eight Ats agencies. Data submitted by the Brescia agency was insufficient and not homogeneous with that of the other agencies, which prevented its integration into the regional picture, the report said.

Drugs were the largest component, with 28,821 users, or 68% of the total. Alcohol followed with 10,469 users (25%), and gambling disorder with 2,830 (7%).

By territory, Ats Milano, which covers the provinces of Milan and Lodi, was the main regional centre with 16,295 total cases taken into care: 12,105 for substances, 3,149 for alcohol and 1,041 for gambling disorder. The agency accounted for 42% of substance cases, 30.1% of alcohol cases and 36.8% of gambling disorder cases recorded by the seven Ats agencies. By total users, Ats Insubria followed with 6,156, then Bergamo with 5,973, Brianza with 5,686, Val Padana with 4,334, Pavia with 2,291 and Montagna with 1,385.

The report also set out characteristics of the people in treatment. For substance addictions, Ats Milano recorded 316 users under 18, Ats Val Padana 83, Ats Bergamo 57 and Ats Insubria 28. For alcohol, the profile was mainly adult: in Milan, of 3,149 users, 1,723 were aged between 36 and 55 and 909 were over 56.

Gambling disorder showed a mainly male and adult profile, with a significant presence of employed people. In Milan, of 1,041 gambling disorder users, 929 were men, 706 were over 35 and 669 were employed among the 954 users with occupational information available. In Ats Bergamo, men numbered 492 of 561 users and 294 were employed, while in Ats Pavia 102 of the 144 users in care for gambling disorder were employed.

The report said substance addictions accounted for more than two thirds of the cases recorded and also involved underage users, alcohol was concentrated mainly in adult age groups, and gambling disorder had a strong male component and a significant presence of employed people. The "Italia delle Dipendenze 2025" research is to build the national picture region by region, the report said.