This blog has been one of the few parts of the media to question the recent headlong rush into "socially responsible" gambling.The Methodist Church itself has hopelessly compromised its position and even has a representative, Rachel Lampard, on the Gambling Commission.
However change may soon be upon us. The Edinburgh Evening News reports:
Detectives investigating the murder of 81-year-old Valerie Rockall and the suicide of her son Brian, 43, in Dean Village on Monday night believe his gambling habit may be at the root of the tragedy.
They suspect a row may have broken out after she discovered he was gambling away her benefit money as he desperately tried to make good his losses.
Although clearly at the extreme end of what gambling can lead to, the terrible events nevertheless serve to highlight how gamblers' lives can spiral out of control.
Sadly, as this blog has shown in the past, such tragedies are all too common. What is different here is that the Evening News has picked up the story and started to ask the right questions about the application of the 2005 Gambling Act. This has seen an explosion in the opportunities to bet and with it problems for thousands of vulnerable people.
What is particularly disturbing about the Evening News report is the quote attributed to Andy Todd a support worker for gambling addicts:
"Bookmakers are opening longer than before, people can go to a club and then on to a casino with a late licence, and they can also gamble on the internet. The Act came in in September 2007, so it's very much in its infancy, but I think we are at the tip of the iceberg.
"In that short space of time, we have seen more people with problems associated with traditional forms of gambling, like bookmakers, and also people coming forward more with internet problems."
As well as the effects of the changes in the law, support groups also expect to be trying to pick up the pieces of more people's lives in the coming months as the effects of the recession bite.
"We have already had people reporting they have increased their gambling during the recession to cover rent, mortgage repayments, food, bills," says Mr Todd.
"It's not the best way to cover your daily household bills, but some people see it as a way of making easy money.
"If you can spend £10 on a roulette wheel and win £500, that's very attractive to people."
I have it on good authority that British Methodism is unable to question the progress of the application of the 2005 Gambling Act as this would hurt Ms Lampard's feelings. Surely it is time for us to move on and become more robust in our concerns?
"In that short space of time, we have seen more people with problems associated with traditional forms of gambling, like bookmakers, and also people coming forward more with internet problems."
As well as the effects of the changes in the law, support groups also expect to be trying to pick up the pieces of more people's lives in the coming months as the effects of the recession bite.
"We have already had people reporting they have increased their gambling during the recession to cover rent, mortgage repayments, food, bills," says Mr Todd.
"It's not the best way to cover your daily household bills, but some people see it as a way of making easy money.
"If you can spend £10 on a roulette wheel and win £500, that's very attractive to people."
I have it on good authority that British Methodism is unable to question the progress of the application of the 2005 Gambling Act as this would hurt Ms Lampard's feelings. Surely it is time for us to move on and become more robust in our concerns?
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4 comments:
David,
I appreciate your ongoing attention to this issue. Gambling continues to spread without end in the United States, as well.
I'm not sure I've heard anyone preach against gambling. Do you know of any good sermons on the topic?
Thanks John, It is an issue that has been rarely discussed in recent years with the focus being on how we accomodate to the world. I'm not aware of any theological work recent or otherwise. Perhaps some of my better qualified fellow bloggers can help - they are often experts on issues such as climate change but strangely quiet on gambling!
Sermonaudio.com has three! Try googling 'Sermons on Gambling'. You will find some, but I cannot vouch for quality.
Risk, and hence gambling, is a part of life. The Bible cannot issue a blanket condemnation. The question then is 'What counts as poor stewardship?'. Addictive behaviours can be seen as enslavement to a form of idolatry. It might also be argued that high return gambling e.g. lotteries is a from of exploitation and hence borders on stealing. A lot depends on how it is sold.
This forces us to make adult and spirit-led decisions. Where the form of gambling invites an obviously unreasonable risk for the average person and where the risk of addiction is relatively high, then clearly society should impose controls and police them.
It is a bit like alcohol. What is acceptable and enjoyable for many is a slippery slope for some. Thus the Church Tombola, a form of donation, falls into a grey area.
Me, I don't gamble because I nearly always lose!
Ian, strictly between you and me, my problem with gambling is that I usually win.......!
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