Will take a gamble?

This is the response of Crumlin Road Presbyterian congregation in Belfast to the proposed legislation on Betting and Gambling.

In stating these views we wish to make it clear that we are willing to do whatever we can to support those who have become addicted to gambling. Our desire is to be a positive people ready and willing to play our part in the making of a better community. We are making no moral judgements. We are against the proposal to lift the ban on Sunday gambling, bearing in mind that we have a Betting Shop next to the church, for the following reasons:

We consider all gambling to be a tax on those who can least afford it. We are disappointed that this has come from a government which has moved irredeemably from its roots as the working man’s party. The only people to profit from this proposal, as far as we can see are those with vested interests.

We consider the government would have been better putting more resources into helping those who are trying to recover from an addiction to gambling. Giving more opportunities to gamble will not help those many families who have been destroyed by the addiction.

One of our biggest concerns is that we have no confidence that workers who have an objection to working on a Sunday will be protected by legal legislation.

We object to a policy which has underpinned the false hopes of many that they can make their fortune without any effort.

We see this as another morally slippery slope. The attitude appears to be that if we cannot stop people from gambling then we might as well make some money from it. That is morally reprehensible to us.

We have no desire to be brought into line with the rest of the UK if that means encouraging people to do something we have a moral objection to.

We accept the fact that people should be allowed to do what society accepts but we are also part of that society and wish to make our feelings known. Since we accept the reality of gambling on the other six days of the week we think it would be a fair compromise to leave the seventh day free.