Controlling gambling – Improving the odds

TRADITIONAL gambling has destroyed many lives, families and relationships in this society.

It can become an out-of-control addiction as destructive as any other. That toll has increased in a private, unnoticed way because of the opportunities offered by unsupervised, 24/7 online gambling.

It is easy to be sanctimonious about how adults spend their time and their money, but anecdotal evidence suggests that we need to update our legislation to protect those who cannot easily control their gambling habits be it in a small town casino or alone at a keyboard.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter moved yesterday to change the odds in favour of those vulnerable to the undoubted thrill of gambling by proposing legislation to better regulate casinos, clubs and online gambling.

It will take at least a year to enact but it is needed and overdue. The sooner it is put in place the better.