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This article was first published 11 years ago

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Last updated on: October 07, 2013 16:24 IST

Image: People wearing traditional Bavarian clothes toast with beer at the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

There are some countries that spend a huge amount every year on alcohol, gambling, cigarettes and other vices.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest spenders.

Source: Bloomberg Visual Data

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A waitress pours champagne into glasses at the foyer of Municipal House before the final of the Elite Model Look competition in Prague, the Czech Republic.
Photographs: Petr Josek/Reuters

The Czech Republic

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 16.47 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,125

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.87 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 17 per cent

Total score: 64.5

Overall rank: 1

The Czech Republic, which has a GDP of $286.7 billion, is one of the most developed countries in central and eastern Europe.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Floats lit with candles are seen as they are released by children on a river in Kropa on St Gregory's Day in Slovenia. The event marks the arrival of spring and symbolises the releasing of light.
Photographs: Srdjan Zivulovic/Reuters

Slovenia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 14.94 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,369

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.01 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 4.2 per cent

Total score: 58.8

Overall rank: 2

Slovenia, which has a GDP of $58.06 billion, was badly hit by the 2008 global economic crisis.

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Tags: GDP , Slovenia

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A party goer is splashed with water after winning a crab race at a pub called the 'Friend in Hand' in central Sydney, Australia.
Photographs: Daniel Munoz/Reuters

Australia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 10.21 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,034

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.44 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 13 per cent

Total score: 55.8

Overall rank: 3

Australia, which is one of the richest economies in the world, is a major exporter of minerals.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A view of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.
Photographs: Serouj Ourishian/Wikipedia Commons

Armenia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 13.66 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,620

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.65 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 4 per cent

Total score: 55.7

Overall rank: 4

Armenia, which has a GDP of $10.06 billion, is taking measures to liberalise its economy.

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Tags: GDP , Armenia

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Worshippers walk with candles around the golden-domed Alexander Nevski cathedral during the Orthodox Easter service in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Photographs: Tsvetelina Belutova/Reuters

Bulgaria

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 11.40 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,822

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.82 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 3.5 per cent

Total score: 54.0

Overall rank: 5

Bulgaria, which has a GDP of $50.78 billion, is an industrialised upper-middle-income country.

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Tags: GDP , Bulgaria

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A view of Barcelona, Spain.
Photographs: Albert Gea/Reuters

Spain

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 11.83 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,757

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.85 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 11.2 per cent

Total score: 51.4

Overall rank: 6

Spain, which was badly hit by the 2008 global economic crisis, has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A child plays with a snowman after a snowfall in central Bosnian town of Zenica.
Photographs: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Bosnia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 9.60 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,278

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.11 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 3.8 per cent

Total score: 51.2

Overall rank: 7

Bosnia, which is posting GDP growth rate of 8.7 per cent, has average gross salary of $600.

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Tags: GDP , Bosnia

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A woman walks on the platform as a train arrives at Mayakovskaya metro station, which was built in 1938, in Moscow, Russia.
Photographs: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Russia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 16.23 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,786

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.03 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 4 per cent

Total score: 49.6

Overall rank: 8

Russia, which has huge reserves of oil and gas, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

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Tags: Russia , GDP

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: People celebrate Maslenitsa, or Pancake Week, in the village of Ozertso, outside Minsk, Belarus.
Photographs: Vladimir Nikolsky/Reuters

Belarus

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 18.85 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,266

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.25 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 1.41 per cent

Total score: 49.4

Overall rank: 9

Belarus, which has a GDP of $58.22 billion, is a state-managed economy.

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Tags: GDP , Belarus

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: People sit in a cafe of a hotel's roof garden with the Acropolis hill in the background in central Athens, Greece.
Photographs: John Kolesidis/Reuters

Greece

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 11.01 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,795

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.74 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 1.27 per cent

Total score: 49.2

Overall rank: 10

Greece, which was hit badly by the 2008 global economic crisis, has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: An aerial view of St Peter's Square in Rome, Italy.
Photographs: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Italy

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 9.72 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,475

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.01 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 15.2 per cent

Total score: 48.7

Overall rank: 11

Italy, one of the most developed countries in the world, is going through tough economic times.

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Tags: Italy , GDP

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: View of Estonia's capital Tallinn.
Photographs: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Estonia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 17.24 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,523

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.44 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 7 per cent

Total score: 48.2

Overall rank: 12

Estonia, which has a GDP of $28.44 billion, is a member of the European Union and the eurozone.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A view of central Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Photographs: Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Ukraine

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 17.47 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 2,401

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.05 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 3 per cent

Total score: 47.5

Overall rank: 13

Ukraine, which has a GDP of $335.4 billion, has an unemployment rate of 7.4 per cent.

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Tags: GDP , Ukraine

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Overview of Buenos Aires' 9 de Julio Avenue with the Obelisk in the background, Argentina.
Photographs: Enrique Marcarian/Reuters

Argentina

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 9.35 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,042

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.37 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 8 per cent

Total score: 47.0

Overall rank: 14

Argentina, which has a GDP of $475.0 billion, has rich natural resources.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Children play near a public fountain in Rijeka on the northern Adriatic island of Cres, Croatia.
Photographs: Nikola Solic/Reuters

Croatia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 15.00 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,621

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.61 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 6 per cent

Total score: 46.7

Overall rank: 15

Croatia, which has a GDP of $79.69 billion, has a service-based economy.

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Tags: GDP , Croatia

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A view of Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Photographs: Brian Snyder/Reuters

United States

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 9.70 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,028

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.64 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 15 per cent

Total score: 45.7

Overall rank: 16

United States, the biggest economy in the world, has one of the highest consumption of drugs.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Houses of Parliament are seen in central London, United Kingdom.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

United Kingdom

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 13.24 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 750

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.85 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 8 per cent

Total score: 45.1

Overall rank: 17

United Kingdom, one of the biggest financial centres in the world, spends a lot on alcohol and drugs.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: 'Welcome' statue in front of Bratislava castle in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Photographs: Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters

Slovakia

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 13.31 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,403

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.76 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 7.30 per cent

Total score: 44.8

Overall rank: 18

Slovakia, which has a GDP of $132.4 billion, enjoys high per capita income.

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Tags: GDP , Slovakia

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A subway station in the Gangnam area of Seoul, South Korea.
Photographs: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters

South Korea

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 14.81 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,958

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.63 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 0.13 per cent

Total score: 44.6

Overall rank: 19

South Korea, one of the most developed economies in the world, is a major exporter of electronics and automobiles.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A cyclist rides past the Coffee To Get Her restaurant near Dublin city centre which becomes a bar and club in the evenings, Ireland.
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

Ireland

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 14.92 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,006

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.67 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 6.43 per cent

Total score: 44.2

Overall rank: 20

Ireland, which was hit badly by the 2008 global economic crisis, is taking measures to revive its economy.

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Tags: Ireland , GDP

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Parliament building is reflected on the icy Danube river in Budapest, Hungary.
Photographs: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters

Hungary

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 16.12 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,518

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.52 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 3 per cent

Total score: 43.0

Overall rank: 21

Hungary, which has a GDP of $225.5 billion, is a medium-sized and high-income economy.

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Tags: GDP , Hungary

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Snowboarders ride a chair lift on one of the many snow runs during night skiing on Grouse Mountain with the city of Vancouver, British Columbia down below, Canada.
Photographs: Andy Clark/Reuters

Canada

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 10.20 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 809

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.05 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 13.40 per cent

Total score: 42.4

Overall rank: 22

Canada, one of the richest economies in the world, has a high usage of drugs.

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Tags: Canada , GDP

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: Brad Smith performs a skyjump atop the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

New Zealand

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 9.99 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 579

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.97 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 17 per cent

Total score: 41.5

Overall rank: 23

New Zealand, one of the most developed economies in the world, is a major tourist destination.

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25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A traditional Fiaker horse carriage passes Burgtheater theatre on Dr-Karl-Lueger-Ring street in Vienna, Austria.
Photographs: Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters

Austria

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 12.40 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 1,650

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 0.48 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 4 per cent

Total score: 40.1

Overall rank: 24

Austria, one of the richest economies in the world, has a high per capita income.

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Tags: Austria , GDP

25 countries that spend most on alcohol, gambling

Image: A night view of Manila's Makati financial district, the Philippines.
Photographs: Cheryl Ravelo/Reuters

The Philippines

Alcohol consumption per adult annually: 6.08 litres

Cigarette consumption per adult annually: 838

Net gambling losses as a percentage of GDP: 1.79 per cent

Drugs prevalence annually: 2.90 per cent

Total score: 40.1

Overall rank: 25

The Philippines, which has a GDP of $257 billion, is projected to be the sixteenth-largest economy in the world by 2050.