Human Rights Ombudsman Zdenka Cebasek Travnik is warning against new casinos in Slovenia, saying that expanding gaming without economic, environmental, sociological, psychological and epidemiological research is very risky and could jeopardise the human rights of a great number of people.

Gaming may endanger the right of the local community to healthy life environment, freedom and safety, she said in Tuesday's press release.

Cebasek Travnik, a psychiatrist, said that enabling gaming increased the number of people suffering from pathological gambling, which resembled addictions and affected mental, economic and social wellbeing of gamblers and their families.

She noted that no research had been carried out in Slovenia on the dangers that gaming currently posed to people and Slovenia had no institution that would help pathological gamblers and their families.

Slovenia also lacks a prevention programme that would reduce the damage caused by pathological gambling.

Cebasek Travnik finds it necessary that the government and its bodies present a clear position on expansion of gaming and thus take the responsibility for all the consequences.

The appeal comes just weeks after Slovenian gaming company Hit and US casino operator Harrah's Entertainment signed a deal on the construction of a huge casino resort in the Gorisko region in western Slovenia.

Several NGOs and associations from both sides of Italian-Slovenian border, including the Society for Quality Life, also expressed their opposition to the casino resort.

In a statement issued in the end of June they said that they opposed the casino because its size was totally unacceptable for the area and would radically change the society with its impact. They called on the government and local authorities to prevent the investment.