Moral crusader sorry for €7m gambling debt

A FORMER US cabinet member and moral crusader who opposed the proliferation of casinos has apologised after it emerged he lost more than €7 million through gambling.

William Bennett, President Ronald Reagan's education secretary who invented the "Just Say No" anti-drugs slogan, disclosed he had become addicted to playing high-stakes slot machines in Las Vegas.

"I have done too much gambling, and this is not an example I wish to set," he said. The author of 1993 best seller The Book of Virtues which contains a chapter on the importance of self discipline became famous in the US for his strident campaign in favour of traditional family values.

Internal casino documents showed Mr Bennett to be a "preferred customer" in at least four casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, according to reports in Newsweek and The Washington Monthly. He has a revolving line of credit of €185,100 at each venue where he prefers to play video poker games and slot machines.