The Bishop of Bermuda yesterday called for inconsistencies in the Island’s gambling laws to be stamped out.

Bishop Ewen Ratteray said “ad hoc” laws, which permit games such as Crown and Anchor but not other forms of gambling including poker, present a confusing picture.

He was speaking after poker nights played by hundreds of people across Bermuda were suspended because Police said they were illegal.

“It seems to me a bit of a nonsense that people will get all worked up about gambling in general, when Crown and Anchor in particular is allowed,” said Bishop Ratteray.

“It is even held up as something — a Bermudian thing, a wonderful thing. A lot of people play Crown and Anchor. I have no problem with people wanting to do that. But is it okay to have a flutter on Cup Match, when it’s wrong at other times?

“Then there’s bingo that goes on that seems to be tolerated — that’s a form of gambling.

“Where do you draw the line? Someone somewhere better make up their minds about that. A decision needs to be made to say whether it’s all bad or all good.

“Consistency is something that’s very much required here. If they are going to be consistent, if gambling’s wrong, then it needs to be dealt with across the board, not ad hoc.”

The Bishop stressed that the Anglican Church had no specific stance on gambling, and said he believed there were potential pitfalls for people who gamble.

“As with so many things, we at the Church don’t have a collective view. It’s not something that’s high on our agenda to be discussed,” he said.

“There are different private views within the church.

“You have people who are on both sides. There are dangers to gambling and most people are aware of them. People can get addicted to it and it can be very costly in terms of family life.”

Bermuda’s Seventh-day Adventist Church last week backed the postponement of poker, stating that gambling was clearly incompatible with a Christian lifestyle.

The Church’s President Dr. Jeffrey Brown also warned allowing poker could open the door to more detrimental forms of gambling.

Poker organisers called off events — which usually attract up to 50 players each — when they were warned bars could be raided if they continued to operate. Officers say poker nights contradict the Liquor Licence Act.

However, Poker in Bermuda and the Bermuda Poker Tour, which run the nightly contests, have claimed they stay within the law and have been in discussions with officers.

The argument appears to focus on the wording of the act, with poker backers claiming the fact that 100 percent of stakes are paid out to players — and the chances are equally favourable to all players — weighs in their favour.

Bermuda’s poker websites have been inundated with messages from angry players in the past few days.

They say poker is played by all walks of society including accountants, heads of unions and chambers, lawyers and doctors.

One message states: “We have such a diverse group of people playing, from all walks of life, that would have most probably never met, if it wasn’t for local poker.”

Another, posted on Thursday by a non-Bermudian, states: “I have already booked a trip to spend on your beautiful island.

“Part of my choosing this vacation was the fact that Hold Em is played. Please don’t take it away!”

A request for a comment from Attorney General Philip Perinchief was not responded to by press time yesterday.