|
The slot machine industry is chomping at the bit for
the new Gambling Act to take effect in Britain, but others worry that the
Gambling Act will only serve as a way to corrupt a generation of teenagers.
The casino reforms do not include legislation to prohibit children from
playing the slot machines. Critics assert the ministers are ignoring the
dangers posed to teenagers when the Gambling Act comes into full force.
Some of the societal ills associated with slot machines include gambling
addictions, debt, drugs, and even a life of crime. Europe’s professor of
gambling, Professor Griffiths was concerned that the country’s youth are the
most vulnerable to these slot machine related ills. According to Prof.
Griffiths:
'The Gambling Act could still have detrimental consequences for some of
the next generation of teenagers. The Government says it wants to protect
the most vulnerable from the dangers of gambling but they seem naive about
the threat posed by slot machines. If they are serious, they must stop
children playing machines that can put some of them on the road to
addiction. Category D slot machines are often the first rung on the problem
gambling ladder that and is often associated with drug use, crime and
academic failure. It is extremely short-sighted to cling to the view that
these slot machines are acceptable because they do not cost much to play.
You can lose large amounts of money very quickly. For some, the dangers of
fruit machines [British term for slot machines] will only grow as the
liberalisation [sic] of casinos provides young people with more
opportunities to gamble with higher stakes and for bigger jackpots. Britain
is already the only western country that allows children to gamble. Gambling
is an adult activity and legislation should be introduced which restricts
gambling to adults only. Allowing children to play on such machines is in
clear breach of the Gambling Act's licensing objectives when it comes to
protecting children. Fruit machine addiction causes the individual to engage
in negative behaviour [sic] such as truanting in order to play the machines,
stealing to fund machine playing, borrowing or the using of lunch money to
play the machines and in some cases aggressive behaviour [sic]. When people
gamble as adolescents, they are then more likely to become problem gamblers
as adults. Adolescents are more susceptible to problem gambling than adults
and that almost all problems stem from slot machine gambling.'
The government is taking a few of Griffith’s words as caution, some of the
slot machines currently in places children are likely to play them
unsupervised will be removed as a stipulation of the Gambling Act.
Considering there is still time before the Gambling Act comes fully into
effect, many are hoping to push through additional legislation that will
protect the children from the slot machine addiction and dangers.
slot machines
spread throughout the world.
Back to November News>>>
Back to Recent
News>>>
Slot machines spread throughout the world.
|
