Legalised gambling has become the latest topic of conversation in Bermuda. I will not say that the topic is on the minds of most Bermudians. However, I will state that it would be difficult to find a Bermudian who does not have a view on the subject and who is more than willing to share that view if so requested.

Supporters of gambling hold firmly to the belief that tourists do not have much to do in Bermuda and that gambling would be a welcome diversion. In addition, they argue that legalised gambling will usher in casinos which will have the effect of increasing both employment and business opportunities.

Few would argue against the belief that there is not much to offer our visitors, apart from the beautiful climate, clean, multi-coloured beaches, and relative safety no matter where our visitors choose to wander. However, those attributes that no one denies Bermuda possesses in abundance are totally ignored when the discussion arises with respect to "What does Bermuda have to offer the tourist?"

I certainly agree that legalising gambling will increase both business and employment opportunities! However, the question that goes begging is business and employment opportunities for whom? Will the returns accrue overwhelmingly to Bermudian owned and managed companies? Or will we see companies fronted by Bermudians but really operated by foreign interests?

Certainly, even if it is obvious that the investment in the business opportunities that will arise will increase the demand for additional workers, does it follow that these new workers will be Bermudians? Past and current experience suggests strongly that increases in investment in an already full employment economy results in heavy importation of workers whose rents are subsidised, while at the same time rapidly increasing the rents for existing Bermudian workers who do not own their living quarters.

While it is true that gambling will increase employment, we need also to ask whether the need for more jobs is a burning issue in Bermuda. Of course Bermuda has some unemployment but does it represent Bermudians with a desirable skill set? Or does it represent Bermudians whose very own mothers would be unlikely to hire them if they owned and operated a casino?

What is the reality of gambling in Bermuda? Is gambling widespread? Are the elements of a casino present in private homes where gambling is carried out on a regular basis? The answers to all questions are yes!

Some of the aspects of gambling are obvious and well known. Here I refer to Bingo and Crown and Anchor. Bingo is played in many of the so-called workingmen's clubs. A well run Bingo makes money for the organisation sponsoring the Bingo and also affords a lucrative part-time hustle for the persons who distribute the Bingo and act as callers when a Bingo is called.

Can one lose a lot of money at Bingo? There are two ways in which gambling losses can mount up. Firstly, one can play more than one card. And secondly, one can play more than one night per week. If the price of a card is $5 and a client decides to play three cards then the cost is $15 per night. If, in addition, the participant decides to play every night of the week, purchasing three cards on each occasion, then the cost of playing the game can amount to $105 per week. It is widely known that players that are really hooked on Bingo will purchase at least three cards each evening and attempt to play every night of the week. Annually, this behaviour would result in an average cost of at least $5,250 per year.

This may not sound like much money. However, when one considers that a high proportion of Bingo patrons are the elderly, this seemingly modest annual cost takes on much greater significance. This is particularly true when one adds the cost of transportation to and from the Bingo as well as snacks and drinks to the nightly cost.

The playing of Crown & Anchor is legal at the annual Cup Match and the various county cricket games. The clubs who manage the cricket fields charge the owners of the games a rent for the space they use to run the game. The rent is substantial but not so high that the various game managers are discouraged from participating.

The game of Crown and Anchor can cost a player hundreds of dollars a session. The amount that can be lost on the game depends upon two variables – the betting limit on the board which is determined by the board operator; and the number of times that a player bets during a session. Fortunately, the Government of Bermuda limits the playing of the game to the venues listed in the opening paragraph.

Other gambling, particularly the card and dice games, are conducted in private clubs and residences. The club operator or the home owner usually gets a return from the game by charging an admission to enter the premises. The participants than play whatever game they so desire. In my younger days, the games of choice were "rummy" and various forms of Poker. Games for which the pot varied undeterminably would be charged a fee known as "Cutting Kitty". This is simply a charge that is collected from each hand that may vary in size according to the size of the pot.

For a brief period in Bermuda, many clubs had slot machines on their premises. Familiarity with the slot machines is widespread and hence these machines need no further explanation. However, what is not widely admitted is the fact that the playing of slot machines can be easily more addictive than any of the games listed above. The machines were banned in 2006 much to the annoyance of operators who were making a tidy sum renting out the machines.

This review of gambling is intended to emphasise two issues: firstly, that gambling is widespread in Bermuda and much of it is illegal. Secondly, one can become addicted to gambling just as quickly as one can to alcohol or drugs. However, alcohol is legal; and although some drug use is also legal (prescription drugs); all drugs can result in a level of addiction that is harmful to the user both in terms of his health and in terms of his available income to care for his spouse and dependent children.

I believe that if gambling is being considered seriously as an alternative form of entertainment for tourists, it should be the subject of an intense educational programme dealing with its potential danger to households who gamble in a misguided effort to recover money spent on drugs and alcohol.

My personal view on gambling is that it should be legalised subject to comprehensive restrictions. Paramount among these restrictions should be the requirement that only Bermudians be permitted to own the business, even if the site is based in a hotel property. In addition, while Bermudians would be permitted to own the concessions, they would not be permitted to participate unless they can prove that their annual income is above a stated level.

Opinion written by Calvin Smith

calvin@northrock.bm