26 January 2009
Methodist anger at Government's 'immoral' gambling proposals
In a submission to the Department for Culture Media and Support
(DCMS), the British Methodist Church has criticised the Government
for 'irresponsible' and 'potentially dangerous' gambling
legislation proposals.
The DCMS is accused of giving in to pressure from the gambling
industry, concerned more with the profits of gambling operators
than with protection of vulnerable people.
David Bradwell, Public Issues Policy Adviser, said; 'The commitment
to proper industry regulation and to the protection of those most
vulnerable is at the heart of the Gambling Act and yet our calls
for caution and proper analysis have been ignored by DCMS. It's
time that the victims of problem gambling were put before
profits.'
David said he was 'appalled' by plans to increase slot machine
stakes and prize limits even more than originally suggested just a
few months ago. DCMS is proposing to double stakes and prizes for
Category C slot machines, commonly found in pubs and clubs around
the UK. This would see maximum stakes go up to £1 and maximum
prizes to £70. At a time of increasing poverty and unemployment,
the maximum prize for a pub fruit machine will be higher than
weekly benefit levels.
'Gaming machines are one of the most addictive forms of gambling,'
continues David. 'This move would mean that every pub can become a
hard gambling environment where large sums of money can be won, or
more likely lost, in a very short space of time. This is a great
deal for the gambling industry, and a poor deal for everyone
else.
'For such a change to be made in a time of recession, when most
people have less money is at best unwise and at worst
immoral.'