A court has called on the authorities to consider limiting gambling adverts which are hounding gambling addicts to keep playing.

The accused gambler was Oreste Zammit, a 63-year-old former customs officer who was accused of money laundering, misappropriation, misuse of public funds for his own private advantage, committing crimes that he was duty-bound to prevent as well as failing to pay customs duties on alcoholic beverages.

He was sentenced to three years in prison and €110,000 fine and which was handed down during a judgement on Monday by Magistrate Frendo Dimech.

Zammit was arraigned in 2020 after the police noticed cash deposits amounting to €1.8 million over seven years, which did not match his lawful income.

Zammit initially pleaded not guilty, but he eventually confirmed a guilty plea which the magistrate agreed with and passed on Monday.

The magistrate also ordered the confiscation of €830,193, which conservatively represented the value of the proceeds generated by the crimes. The magistrate also ordered him to pay €3,102.89 for court expenses.

A treatment order was also issued after Zammit asked to get help with overcoming his gambling addiction.

Zammit sent out a message highlighting the dangers of gambling addiction whilst also pledging to overcome his addiction and help others in the future.

The magistrate said that betting adverts are destroying many people’s lives.

She pointed out how betting adverts are making it difficult for people to overcome their addiction when they are exposed to these adverts in a place of comfort, and therefore, addicts would be inclined to return to this addiction.

“The vulnerable, like any addict, should not be involuntarily subjected to temptations even in the protection of his home at a time when he is following TV shows and even the news!” Frendo Dimech said.

The magistrate also mentioned how telling people to gamble “responsibly” does not have any real effect because it does not make a difference to an addict.

“Somebody who is sick needs to be taken care of and kept away from what got them sick in the first place and not be exposed to the disease which sends a message of ‘responsibility’,” Frendo Dimech said.

The court also cited a study that was conducted on gambling advertising in 2020. The study showed that exposure to gambling adverts “can have an impact on attitudes towards the prevalence and acceptability of gambling advertising”. Also, the adverts may not immediately push a person to gamble, however, they may convince a person to gamble in the future.

“The time is ripe to consider whether gambling ought to be afforded the same sensitive approach as alcohol and tobacco products,” Frendo Dimech said.

Zammit is asking for the opportunity to help others so that he can prevent them ended up in the same situation he is in. He felt that if he could save at least one person, then his life would have served well.

The court appealed that Zammit will immediately be given the opportunity to serve as a good example for others as his story can help those who are suffering from a gambling addiction.

Also, the court said that this can serve as a “wake-up call” for those in a position to limit these gambling adverts which have broken up many families.

The court called Zammit the “personification” of how this addiction can lead someone to lose everything. However, the judgement also said that Zammit “personifies hope” as he has a strong desire to rehabilitate himself and live a life separate from gambling.