wfn.org | British Methodists call for gambling restrictions

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Nov. 5, 2001 News media contact: Joretta Purdue7(202) 546-87227Washington
10-71B{513}
 
By the Methodist Church Media Office*

The British Methodist Church is calling for strong safeguards to protect
young people from the dangers of gambling. 

In response to recommendations that the gaming industry be deregulated, the
Methodist Church said it welcomes plans to increase the age limit on certain
forms of gambling but stresses that "18 should be the minimum age for all
gambling." 

A Methodist Church submission, sent to the British government at the end of
October, expresses concern that the recommendations in a 260-page report
issued by an independent study group do not fully tackle the use of gaming
machines by young people. Rachel Lampard, Methodist Secretary for
Parliamentary and Political Affairs, prepared the submission to the
Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

"We warmly welcome the proposal to remove gaming machines from unlicensed
premises," Lampard wrote. "However, we do not believe that children and
young people should be permitted to play gaming machines at all.

"Britain is alone in Western Europe and the (United States) in allowing
under-18s to gamble. Research suggests that the earlier a young person
starts gambling, the more likely they are to develop problems as young
adults."

The statement calls for raising the age restriction for slot machines to 18
years when other
reforms are introduced. "It is not sufficient to propose reviewing the
situation five years down the line." For similar reasons, the minimum age
for playing the National Lottery should be set to 18 also, according to the
church.

The submission goes on to say that casinos and other gaming businesses will
need to demonstrate their commitment to socially responsible practices if
they are to be allowed to expand greatly under the proposed shakeup of laws.

In the document, Lampard advocates taking social responsibility beyond the
level of companies providing money to care for problem gamblers. She
suggests developing business practices that help to prevent addictive
behavior as well as fund research, through a voluntary or statutory levy.
Positive measures might include "training for staff, corporate policies or
testing that new games do not appeal disproportionately to vulnerable
people."

The Methodist Church official said the organization welcomes proposals to
introduce a new body, the Gambling Commission, to oversee all aspects of
gambling but warns that deregulation must not happen so speedily that the
commission cannot cope.

Methodists and other residents in resort towns like Blackpool have expressed
particular fears that new "super casinos" will do little to help local
economic and social regeneration. Safeguards are needed to protect local
businesses and offer support to problem gamblers in the face of major new
resort casinos, they urge.

Reflecting these concerns, the Methodist Church submission says that
"although some low-paid jobs may be created by the proposed 'resort
casinos,' many local businesses would lose out, as people came to visit what
is essentially a 'walled economy.'" Both local and national government will
need to come up with creative solutions to offset such losses.

The Methodist position advocates protection for those people for whom
gambling is harmful, and support for those with addiction problems. The
Methodist Church also calls for:
7	Alcohol to be kept separate from gaming tables.
7	A strong code of practice to cover new freedoms for gambling on the
Internet.
7	Restrictions on the advertising of gaming products and venues.
7	Resisting the use of credit cards in gambling.

"It is widely accepted that alcohol makes people gamble more, and gamble
less wisely. Allowing people to drink at the tables is not likely to
encourage wiser gambling, or more responsible drinking," according to the
document. The Methodists also suggested that the Gambling Commission
maintain a gateway to licensed Web sites offering gambling and enforce
penalties for breaches in an advertising code that would include a warning
such as those found on cigarettes. 

(The United Methodist Church officially considers gambling "a menace to
society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic and
spiritual life, and destructive of good government." The denomination and
its annual conferences have actively opposed gambling initiatives in the
United States.) 
# # #
*The Methodist Church Media Office is a unit of the Methodist Church in
Great Britain. This report was adapted from a story by the media office.

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United Methodist News Service
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