national lottery to generate money for cash-starved soccer clubs because they said gambling of any kind is immoral.

The Salvation Army, the Muslim community and the St. Paul's AME church were unified in their opposition of the scheme.

The proposed lottery is contained in a 90-page report that probed the incidence of drug use in soccer.

It was one of several ideas for raising money to the help clubs upgrade their premises.

Other recommendations included more Government help, encouraging local companies to adopt a club, or a combination of each.

"We are really not in favour of a lottery,'' Imam Ameer Shakir of the Masjid Muhammad told The Royal Gazette . "We consider gambling in any form to be harmful.

"Our religion forbids us from gambling. However I do support finding some means of support for sport, not just soccer, in Bermuda.

"I do think we should support them in some way. If the Government is not able to fund it perhaps some of the businesses could step forward as they do in the US.'' Salvation Army spokesman Major Merv Leach said his organisation was against any strategy that would use a lottery to raise money, despite the noble intent.

Major Leach said lotteries attract people who are poor and least able to take care of their own affairs.

"The Salvation Army is against any form of gambling,'' he said. "We wouldn't support a lottery or bingo.'' Rev. Conway Simmons of the St. Paul's AME church said that his organisation also opposed the national lottery recommendation.

"People will begin to depend on it,'' he said. "And poorer people will be the first to put their money in them.'' He said the addictive nature of a lottery was also disturbing.

Instead, he said, the necessary money could come from the international business community, especially those resident here.