A coalition of churches including the AME has hit out at plans for croupier training and for a casino boat moored off Bermuda.

Spokesman Rev Harold Lambe said churches were dismayed by the direct or indirect promotion of gambling in Bermuda which he said was illegal.

He said: "Even condoning an activity such as how to make a living at gambling flies in the face of the very reason gambling was made illegal."

Last week The Royal Gazette reported how a centre had been set up for croupier training by the owners of the Spinning Wheel while the Corinthian, now moored in St. George's, might soon be used for a casino. Rev Lambe said: "Allowing a boat to dock on our shores so that Bermudians and others may go offshore to engage in gambling does not make the gambling any more legal than selling illegal drugs offshore."

Rev Lambe, who was speaking for a coalition of churches including the New Testament Church, Radnor Road Christian Fellowship, the First Church of God, the AME church, the United Holy Church of Bermuda and the Bermuda Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, said if gambling took hold Government would end up paying to alleviate addiction problems.

He said: "Rather than start down that road that later will cost time and money to reverse, let's join together to preserve, protect and foster the laws and values that continue to make the island of Bermuda so attractive." However, lawyer Llewellyn Peniston, who acts for the owners of the Corinthian, said an announcement on how the ship would be used was likely this week, with gambling a "very real possibility".

But he pointed out Bermuda had plenty of legalised gambling outlets and the Church should direct its attention to Government which laid down the policy.

He said: "It would be of greater force and credibility if they focused upon all the licensed betting parlours in Bermuda and the bingo games going on for substantial prizes."

Mr. Peniston said Bermudians were keen on Internet gambling while the Bermuda government taxed the majority of gambling outlets, taking 20 cents in every dollar.

And he said there was a betting parlour selling Caribbean lottery tickets just yards from a church, on the junction of Court Street and Victoria Streets.

"The churches have every right to express moral positions. There are other people in this island who have different value systems.

"The church ought to focus its energy on Government in respect to the whole gambling issue in this island, including the county matches and Cup Match where there is crown and anchor and black jack."

The 196-foot luxury Corinthian made headlines early last year when a local company, Corinthian Ltd. announced its plans to set up and operate the ship as a casino off Bermuda's coast.

Gamblers would be able to use the casino once it sailed into international waters 12 miles off Bermuda.