City of Hamilton voters are being asked to help the Corporation of Hamilton decide its stance on gaming.

People are asked to submit their views by e-mail ahead of a series of public forums next week, when the Corporation will make a presentation on the controversial subject to a gaming task force set up by Premier Ewart Brown.

Mayor Sutherland Madeiros said in a statement: "The Members of the Corporation of Hamilton have not yet formulated a view, one way or another, on gambling in Bermuda, and the City, in particular. In order to assist us in expressing such an opinion we would like to hear our constituents' views on this issue, which will help us take an informed position on this very important and sometimes controversial subject.

"The Corporation of Hamilton wishes to make a presentation that reflects the views of the City of Hamilton voters and we therefore encourage voters to contact us and share their thoughts."

Submissions should be e-mailed to communications@cityhall.bm. Written submissions can be brought into the Corporation's offices, with forms available at the front desk.

Three public information sessions set up by New Orleans-based The Innovation Group next week are intended to gauge opinion of plans to relax Bermuda's anti-gambling legislation.

Some hoteliers have backed the idea which could see casinos introduced as a potential silver bullet to save the struggling tourism industry.

However, church groups including the AME, Seventh-day Adventist and Muslims have all spoken out on religious or moral grounds, while a bill to allow gambling on cruise ships was last month blocked after opposition from a number of Government MPs.

The forums take place at Sandys Secondary Middle School, next Tuesday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Bermuda Industrial Union Hall, Hamilton, next Wednesday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and the World Heritage Centre, Penno's Wharf, St. George's, next Thursday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

After the meetings, The Innovation Group will spend two to three weeks completing its draft, which will be presented to the gaming task force appointed by Premier and Tourism Minister Dr. Brown.

That task force, headed by lawyer Wendell Hollis, will then make recommendations to Cabinet. The Innovation Group's $300,000 study into the impact of gaming is jointly funded by Government and hoteliers. As well as the potential impact of casinos, it will weigh Bermuda's suitability as a centre of Internet gaming, which would mean people overseas having their online bets processed on the Island; and the pros and cons of a national lottery.

It will also include the latest research on any social problems connected to gambling.

• The Innovation Group is inviting residents to give their views on casinos, national lotteries, social issues and responsibilities connected to gambling on www.blogbermudagaming.com, or by written submission to Task Force on Gaming, P.O. Box HM 465, Hamilton HM BX. Closing date for written submissions is Friday, April 24.