The acceptable face of gambling is the multi million pound jackpot prizes won on the UK lottery. Gambling on a variety of lottery games is a suitable subject for primetime television, a suitable vehicle for 16-year olds to place their bets. Of course it's all done in the great name of charity, but nonetheless it is big business and the name of the game is gambling.

The not quite so acceptable face of gambling, but meriting scant attention from the media or politicians or even the anti-gambling lobbies, is the addictive electronic fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) at every high street bookmakers, or the arcade games for children deemed ‘safe’ because of the limited payouts but shown by research to be addictive for young people.

Horseracing, a sport devised almost entirely as a vehicle for the placing of bets, is condoned by the great and the good – it is the sport of kings after all. It may have the glamour of Ascot or the excitement of the Grand National to recommend its popularity, but there has been many a week’s wages lost on picking the wrong runners.

The totally unacceptable face of gambling appears to be a casino with jackpot gaming machines that offer progressive prizes that could amount to over a million pounds. According to comments made by church leaders since Gordon Brown effectively stopped the development of Britain’s first super casino, the bigger the jackpot the greater the risk of problem gambling. To them the 8 small and 8 large new casinos should also be stopped.

It is interesting that casinos do invoke such passionate opposition. A mere 3% of UK citizens are estimated to be regular casino customers, a number that pales into insignificance when compared to those frequenting bookmakers. Maybe because an Englishman’s home is considered to be his castle there are few indignant tirades against online betting.

Casinos offer gambling in a controlled environment and, in most well-regulated jurisdictions, have staff trained in the early recognition of problem gambling. They are about the only branch of gambling that can offer the reassurance that gambling addiction will be monitored and help provided. When problem gambling does occur and a casino has failed to act, stiff penalties can be levied.

Vulnerable members of the public should indeed be protected by stringent gambling laws. Churchmen and other groups should be free to make their point against gambling. However, the prevalent hypocrisy over the dangers of a super casino, so enjoyed, encouraged and expounded by the media, should cease. (E-07.13.07)

© Copyright 2007 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage