You make a good point. And yes, it is an exaggeration, but sometimes exaggerations can be useful! And your question as to whether gambling as a practice is something that is good for the character of our nation or its people is a good one. To some extent, of course, gambling is already part of our nation - the casino halls at Atlantis, for example, bringing tourist dollars into the economy - but it's not a part of the nation that Bahamians can take part in.
I've seen the positive effects of a national lottery - the money that can be diverted towards good causes from the money raised. I've also seen the negative effects - people so addicted to spending money on a lottery that they'll gamble rather than buy food. And in that vein, I agree with Rochelle, above, who suggests a centre for recovering gamblers.
On a broad scale, however, I don't think a lottery does any harm to a nation's character - something that definitely can't be said for drug addiction. Day after day, we hear of how drugs fuel crime, driving people to commit crime to feed their addiction. I'm sure there are examples of where people might do the same to get money for their gambling, but it's on nowhere near the scale of drugs. And of course the whole chain of supply in the drug trade is steeped in criminal activity.
I certainly don't think the lottery is some magic bullet to cure all of society's ills. But at present we have a law that is not being enforced, and being openly flouted, and that to me sounds like a law that cannot stand. Failing to enforce the law brings it into disrespect, and it's time to choose, one way or the other, which way to go.
What would you say would be the harm - to society as a whole - of gambling being legalised?
shunt@tribunemedia.net says...
Hi Tim,
You make a good point. And yes, it is an exaggeration, but sometimes exaggerations can be useful! And your question as to whether gambling as a practice is something that is good for the character of our nation or its people is a good one. To some extent, of course, gambling is already part of our nation - the casino halls at Atlantis, for example, bringing tourist dollars into the economy - but it's not a part of the nation that Bahamians can take part in.
I've seen the positive effects of a national lottery - the money that can be diverted towards good causes from the money raised. I've also seen the negative effects - people so addicted to spending money on a lottery that they'll gamble rather than buy food. And in that vein, I agree with Rochelle, above, who suggests a centre for recovering gamblers.
On a broad scale, however, I don't think a lottery does any harm to a nation's character - something that definitely can't be said for drug addiction. Day after day, we hear of how drugs fuel crime, driving people to commit crime to feed their addiction. I'm sure there are examples of where people might do the same to get money for their gambling, but it's on nowhere near the scale of drugs. And of course the whole chain of supply in the drug trade is steeped in criminal activity.
I certainly don't think the lottery is some magic bullet to cure all of society's ills. But at present we have a law that is not being enforced, and being openly flouted, and that to me sounds like a law that cannot stand. Failing to enforce the law brings it into disrespect, and it's time to choose, one way or the other, which way to go.
What would you say would be the harm - to society as a whole - of gambling being legalised?
On Gambling is a sure-fire bet
Posted 4 June 2012, 11:25 p.m. Suggest removal