A lawyer representing bars and clubs is hoping Government will have a last minute change of heart and allow gaming machines to remain on the Island.

Government has recently confirmed gaming machines will be illegal on July 1, but lawyer Mark Pettingill said they should be taxed to earn revenue for Bermuda.

"If they view themselves as a sensible and reasonable government, they will look again at this issue carefully," he said yesterday.

Finance Minister Paula Cox revealed on Monday that following a long-awaited tax report, Government is looking at raising taxes across the board by two to three percent.

Mr. Pettingill, who represents The Beach, Plush private club, Freddies, The Porch and Lucky Strike, said one solution would be tax the machines.

Bermudians and tourists want to gamble and if Bermuda does not tax it, the revenue will be lost to another jurisdiction, he said.

He called on the Progressive Labour Party to revise the position it took in 1999 to phase on gaming machines later this year.

"When we are dealing with a tax issue, why not tax the machines?" he told yesterday.

"The owners are open and understanding to taxing the machines.

"People want to gamble and a lot of Bermudians do gamble. If they can't do it here they will go offshore.

"And where is the money going ? offshore. Bermudians, and tourists, will be paying taxes to the US for gambling when they want to gamble here.

"We have got to face the realities of life. It is something that people will do and if they cannot do it here, they will do it offshore and we are the ones that lose. We will simply lose the revenue ? it's dollars and sense.

"All this moral pontificating is absolute nonsense. Government has got to move with the times and change position.

"The claim that people get addicted is absolute nonsense. Anyone that spends their rent money on a gambling machine isn't addicted.

"They are simply people who are old-fashioned irresponsible. They are idiots and let's call it what it is. Responsible people use gambling machines responsibly."