Pope Leo XIV has used an address at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican to warn of the threat gambling addiction poses to families.
The world’s first American Pontiff told an audience of members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities on December 29 that the “scourge” of gambling had “ruined many families.”
According to the Vatican News, Pope Leo cited the newest Caritas Italy findings to emphasize that gambling addiction is a “serious problem of education, mental health, and social trust.” The official news service also took to X with a clip of the address to the mayors:
“Statistics show a major increase in Italy in recent years,” the Chicago-born Pontiff said, adding that gambling addiction was “a form of “loneliness” that public authorities could relieve by promoting “authentically human relationships between citizens.”
Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV in May, stunning betting markets, his odds lower than 2% on both Kalshi and Polymarket.
