Lyall Hall, who has been billed as an expert on gambling, a partner with KPMG Toronto and who claims to have worked on casino projects around the world, grossly misrepresented the facts when he spoke at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon last week and told the audience "that the worse predictions, that gambling would bring increased crime and addiction, had not been realised in other places where casinos have been introduced".

Gambling has never had a positive effect on any community according to researched factual information from the National Coalition Against Legalised Gambling in the United States. I would invite all Bermudians to visit their website at www.ncalg.org/library. I intend to quote some of their findings later in this article, but before doing so I would like to make a few observations relevant to our local situation where the proponents of gambling in Bermuda seem to be steam rolling ahead at a rapid pace.

I am surprised that so far in this public discussion only two churches, the Salvation Army and the AME churches, have come forth and publicly stated their opposition to legalising casino gambling. This will be a disaster for Bermuda if others do not speak or are afraid to. Churches who have bingo on their premises should not feel any guilt or embarrassment about taking a position against legalised casino gambling since there is a vast difference between the two and their effects on the community.

I was shocked when a few days after Mr. Hall's speech ? in which he predicted that Bermuda would have gambling in five years ? the spokesman for the Progressive Labour Party stated that the party had not taken a position on Casino Gambling and that the party would be discussing it. This is a major departure from the PLP's traditional stance on gambling, which for many years was to oppose it for Bermuda. Indeed the date when all gambling machines presently operating in Bermuda will have to desist is rapidly approaching, a policy decision taken by the PLP Government.

All of the above leads me to believe there are some weird things taking place in Bermuda on this gambling issue. This is typical of what happens when gambling money is looking for a new virgin territory. We have enough problems with crime, drugs and violence now without the increase of those problems that legalised casino gambling will bring.

Bermudians must decide between the highly advertised, big money casinos and the cost of the crime and welfare that casinos will bring to our community.

It is not enough to say we can prevent Bermudians from gambling as they do in the Bahamas. Firstly, there would have to be a law brought in to expressly prevent Bermudians from gambling. The Human Rights Act prevents one group of persons being treated differently to another.

Even if Bermudians were prevented from gambling, and I doubt they will be because visitors alone will not be enough to make a casino viable, and it is the PGs (problem gamblers) that casinos want, it would not stop the corruption that gambling brings to a community. One does not have to look very far to the south and west where this has occurred.

To refute Mr. Hall's claims of the niceties of gambling I will borrow first from a document of researched conclusions by Mr. Harvey N. Chin for The California Council on Alcohol problems in Sacramento, and for the National Council Against Legalised Gambling. They concluded:It redistributes wealth on an inequitable basis. It enriches the few and impoverishes the many. Gambling is non-productive. It performs no useful or necessary services.siphoning off money from the regular business community. It dislocates the purchasing dollar. Business leaders are reluctant to invest money in areas that sustain large gambling enterprises because of the ensuing bad debts, delinquent time payments, and bankruptcy. Gambling disrupts the normal checks and balances of a well-ordered community.Gambling weakens the stability of family life, lowers the standard of living and necessitates a larger welfare burden, thus raising taxes. Increased revenue from gambling means larger claims for welfare.Gambling always attracts racketeers and mobsters. Gambling increases the number of murders, assaults, robberies, crimes of violence of all kinds, etc. The underworld thrives on gambling. Police costs increase.Gamblers always seek to increase the odds and buy protection. Gamblers are soul-less in attempting to corrupt police, judges, and legislators. Instead of the state controlling legalised gambling, the professional gamblers often end up in control of the state.Gambling victimizes the poor. Gambling leads to embezzlement, bribes, extortion, treason, suicide, and corruption of college and professional athletes. Crime often results from victims trying to recoup from gambling losses. Those who can least afford it usually gamble the most. Gambling exploits the weaknesses of individuals. Gambling and poverty go hand-in-hand. Inner-city residents hurt the most by expanded gambling.Gambling revenue is regressive, inequitable, variable and unpredictable. To make public services dependent upon erratic gambling "taxes" is irresponsible. Public services should be soundly financed. Proponents promise huge government income from legalised gambling, but only a trickle of money results. Even in Nevada, only about one-third of the state's budget comes from gambling. Lotteries have been discredited as a source of school funds.

? Harvey N. Chin

NCALG Information Library

Those are conclusions derived from research into gambling in the United States for a good number of years. If one goes to the website above there is much evidential information about the ills of gambling on society to back up those claims. It is a far cry from what Mr. Hall would have us believe.

I would strongly suggest the Chamber of Commerce look seriously at the effects of gambling on businesses. I would also suggest that since they sponsored a speaker who was obviously pro-gambling, they might like to hear from an expert who has seen the other side of gambling, and can give a truthful account of the negative effects of gambling on society and the difficulties that states in the US and gambling countries like Australia and Canada are having with compulsive gamblers, crime and corruption. They can do so by contacting the Coalition Against Legalised Gambling at e-mail ncalgvcn.com or calling 1-800-664-2680 and asking them if they would provide a speaker.

In closing, I will cite one well-known example of a gambling community with which many Bermudians are familiar. Atlantic City, decided to legalise casino gambling in 1976 based on the promise of tax revenues, jobs and economic development. In several ways the casinos have achieved what was promised.

The tax base is now twenty-one times what it was in 1976, and casinos employ many. Paradoxically, while 1,300 tour buses clog the streets each day the population has shrunk by 20 percent. Other statistics also indicate gambling is not a free lunch. Over the past ten years, unemployment has not improved, crimes are up 320 percent, the police force has doubled, half of the 2,100 businesses have closed and four of the past six mayors have been indicted for corruption connected with gambling with three serving jail terms.

Much more information must be put before the Bermudians people before being asked to make a decision on gambling. The information should not come only from the proponents of gambling nor in fairness only from those against, but beware of the hired soothsayers and vested interested. Gambling money does not care how it will hurt our society. There will hopefully be other attachments to this story.

There should be a Bermuda Coalition Against Legalised Gambling set up to fight against the proponents of gambling in Bermuda and the gambling money that is always behind making it happen. I'm hopeful others will agree to such an organization and even others like churches, parent groups, youth groups and business organisations will take a stand against legalised gambling in Bermuda.