The bigger concern though was the social cost, and the number of desperate families that needed help which was deemed (thank god) to be more of an ongoing concern than a few tax dollars. There does seem to be a growing awareness as well that maybe the sums from gambling taxes minus social cost and financial $ managing the consequences are not adding up.
Devolving power to the council to allow local people to decide on the approach to gambling in their communities seems to make sense and where the local councillers on the ground are able to see and experience first hand the devastation that gambling causes and take action.
The GraspGroup and highstreetsfirst are currently campaigning on similiar issue in the UK.
http://www.change.org/petitions/secretary-of-state-for-communities-and-local-government-let-people-control-their-high-streets
Below links in Slovak but google translator will help ;)
http://www.cas.sk/clanok/219336/primator-turcianskych-teplic-chce-v-kupelnom-meste-zatrhnut-hazard.html
http://www.cas.sk/clanok/213557/aj-v-dobsinej-zrusia-vsetky-automaty-miestni-na-hazard-minaju-davky.html
We totally agree. Folk talk of heroin addicts as 'smack heads' but what about the greedmongering gambling parasite industry that is creating 'slot-heads' - and for them its harder to go cold turkey.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! In addition gambling is secretive and 'slot-heads' will hide their addiction until the problem is very serious, usually when they are in huge debt, or are in trouble with the law. The opportunity to gamble is everywhere, in the street, via mobile, tablet, internet @home or @work. The industry is only interested in profits and problem gamblers are their best customers. so absolutely no different to the drug dealer who peddles to the crack addict! EXCEPT THAT ITS LEGAL! BENT SOCIETY indeed..thanks for your comment.
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