Pope Leo calls out gambling addiction and 'demographic crisis' in Vatican meeting

Pope Leo XIV says people need more face-to-face interaction in their lives.

Speaking with Italian mayors from the association of local Italian authorities, the Assocazione Nazionale dei Comuni Italiani, the pope touched on some of the biggest issues faces the world today.

'Democracy atrophies, becomes just a name, a formality.'

During the Vatican meeting, Pope Leo noted that a "demographic crisis" and "struggles" among families and young people remain top issues. According to Vatican News, the Catholic leader also stated that social isolation and "social conflicts" are pervasive issues in Italy.

At the same time, the pope — Robert Francis Prevost — said he wanted to focus on one of the biggest topics in today's world: gambling. The Chicago native explained that he wanted to "draw attention in particular to the scourge of gambling," which has "ruined many families."

Citing a "major increase" in gambling in Italy in recent years, Prevost cited a recent report that described gambling as a "serious problem" in terms of education, mental health, and societal trust for Italians.

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Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

The pope stressed that gambling addiction is a form of "loneliness" and called on the local mayors to promote "authentically human relationships between citizens" as a way to tackle the issue.

Pope Leo reportedly drew from 20th-century Italian priest and activist Don Primo Mazzolari in order to illustrate the need for social interactions between Italians.

"[Italy] does not only need sewers, houses, roads, aqueducts, and pavements," but also "a way of feeling, of living, a way of looking at one another, and a way of coming together as brothers and sisters."

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Photo by Jacopo Raule/Getty Images for Philipp Plein

To solve many of these modern issues, authorities must listen to the weak and the poor, the pope said. If not, he said, "democracy atrophies, becomes just a name, a formality."

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