Casino Circus

By M. A. Sumanthiran -October 27, 2013

M A Sumanthiran

It was with great relief that I noted that the Government had decided to put on hold the decision to approve regulations governing gazette notifications for the establishment of casinos in Colombo. Amidst protest by key government allies SLMC and JVP and opposition party UNP, the powers that be had little choice but to re-think an act that could well turn out to be a disaster for our society and economy.

However, there is no guarantee that this decision will not be brought up again as soon as the heat subsides, as has been the case with other government proposals that have not been received well at the outset and have been passed later with little resistance from us! The casino circus could continue!

As such I would like to assess this issue further.  Gambling, as a form of entertainment, can be described simply as playing a game to make a quick buck. To some perhaps the fun is in the game itself. However, to others it is in the risk of gain or loss that comes with one ‘pitch or toss’! To yet others it is in the ‘quick buck’ that can be won so easily – the fact that the chances of losing that ‘quick buck’ are as high is dismissed as negligible! For addiction blinds you to risk, to harm, and before you know it you are caught in its trap.  And so the wise man in the Book of Proverbs of the Holy Bible warns us that ‘wealth gained hastily will dwindle…” Here is an indication that money habitually gained without effort, without work may not last.

Make no mistake gambling can become addictive and as such gambling along with smoking and drinking is denounced by most religions as a form of social evil. Some would consider this intolerant. Yet, most people no matter their religion would consider any of the above harmful when indulged in to an extreme.

Not many will attempt to justify chain smoking, drunkenness and protracted gambling, except in that the individual should be free to make their own choice. And yet, leaving cigarettes and alcohol aside, it is noteworthy that research indicates an increase in gambling addiction in areas close to gaming zones.

For example, a 2010 report by Ohio based research firm Community Research Partners (CRP) states that,

“The University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC 1999) estimates that 1.2%

of U.S. adults are lifetime pathological gamblers and 1.5% are lifetime problem gamblers.

The literature shows a connection between casinos and increased rates of compulsive gambling

problems. Reith et al (2006) cite a variety of research (NORC 1999, Welte et al 2004, Emerson

and Laundegran 1996, Volberg 1995) to show that the location of a casino within 50 miles of an

individual’s home is associated with approximately double the likelihood of problem gambling.

Based on this, opening a casino could potentially double the existing prevalence and social

impacts of problem gambling in a community.”

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