The Government must take urgent action in response to a report showing a rise in the number of problem gamblers. That’s the call from a group of churches and Christian organisations, including The Salvation Army, who want local councils to have the power to limit the number of gambling premises in their areas.
The latest Gambling Prevalence survey* shows that problem gambling has increased in just a few years. The survey shows that last year 0.9% of the population – 451,000 people – admitted to being problem gamblers. That’s up from the 0.6% recorded in 2007 and 1999….
Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs at the Church of England, said: ”˜Problem gamblers become sucked into a distorted view of reality and often drag themselves and their families into insecurity and poverty. This is not just a matter of personal morality and character, but a problem exacerbated by the values communicated by the wider social and policy context.’
s is not just a matter of personal morality and character, but a problem exacerbated by the values communicated by the wider social and policy context.’
And this is different how? from the gov. telling everyone that homosexuals can have civil ceremonies in a church, all of which amounts to a marriage? Larry