The Institute for Additive Behaviors and Dependencies (ICAD) opens Monday, in Matosinhos, and is integrated into an existing unit, a program for the treatment of video games dependence, especially directed at young people.
© Shutterstock
28/06/2026
by
Lusa
A responsible spoke to the agency Lusa about the opening, on 18 June in Lisbon, of the first public unit specialized in the treatment of gambling dependence, a response to the increase in demand for support, which more than doubled since 2023.
The Specialized Center for Prevention (CEP) will operate in the old hospital of Matosinhos, on Rua Alfredo Cunha, where the Center for Integrated Responses (CRI) West Port of the ICAD is currently running.
According to the psychiatrist, these addictions are often associated with other psychiatric disorders, although with different profiles: in gambling, cases of depression and suicidal ideation are more common, while in video games anxiety and mood disorders predominate, especially among adolescents.
“There is a great comorbidity with psychiatric pathology,” he said.
The person responsible reinforced that, despite the commitment to prevention, the current priority is to respond to the cases that already arrive at the services: “We have to give an immediate answer to those who are looking for us.”.
To Lusa, the president of ICAD has advanced that Porto’s new video game dependency treatment program may be extended to Lisbon.
Already in a summary sent to Lusa, the ICAD states that in Porto, the treatment program for problematic uses of video games, “unlike the age range of gambling money” will have no age limitation to treat the patient”.
“[This is because] most problematic users are young people who attend the 3rd cycle and secondary education”, it ends.