The Tribune

ON January 28 Bahamians will be faced with a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t decision.

Firstly, they will have to decide whether they want gambling in any form in the country. Secondly, if they opt to legalise gambling, do they want to continue with government regulated web shops, or would they prefer a government-run national lottery?

Many of the churches are marshaling their congregations for a “no” vote, convinced that any form of gambling in the Bahamas would legalise a vice that would completely destroy society.

As Archbishop Patrick Pinder, in his contribution to the debate before leaving for Rome, pointed out: Games of chance “do not constitute an evil” in and of themselves. These games, such as raffles, are often used by churches and various charitable organisations to raise money for charity.

However, the Archbishop continued, “the Catechism goes on to make it abundantly clear that games of chance can lead to evil – such activities become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs or for those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement.”

Said the Archbishop: “Gambling in excess has a great potential for generating intemperate behaviour and for many, addiction. It is from intemperance and addiction that many societal ills arise. Therein lies the real danger of permitting gaming that is an unregulated, free-for-all. It is our duty to take whatever measures lie in our power to help Bahamians avoid the potential and dangerous pitfalls of gaming or any activity that could lead to harm for the individual or society.”

On the other side of the coin are the webshops, grown into sophistication from the side-street “numbers man” to the gambling cafes. They have developed and flourished on the illegal side of the law —as Bahamians would say – “from time.” In the old days they were often raided by the police, despite the fact that many police officers also took a chance on “the numbers.” Today, the webshops are not only sophisticated, but their operators boldly defy the law, believing that as government has granted them a business licence and accepts their National Insurance contributions, they are as legal as any other businessman in this country. Despite this they have been raided, and their equipment confiscated. They then go to court, pay their fine, but the next day they are back in business. Defiance is the name of the game. They challenge government to blink first.

If these operations are closed down rather than legalised, strictly regulated and taxed, chaos would probably follow. Prime Minister Christie in the House yesterday listed the areas that would be hardest hit.

Should the web shops be closed, he said, overnight at least 4,000 Bahamians would be jobless with a loss of an annual payroll estimated at $15 million— local shops in which much of this money would be spent, would suffer. National Insurance would stand to lose more than $1 million annually. Government would lose more than $100,000 annually in business licence fees, and building construction and capital improvements, presently representing more than $33 million, would cease. It was suggested that in a legalised environment there would be even more construction, creating more jobs. The web shops now spend $9 million annually on utilities and other operating costs. As for sponsorships and donations – which, according to whispers, includes elections —it is estimated that the more than $5 million spent annually, would cease.

“The web shop operators,” said Mr Christie, “are unable to secure bank accounts for their businesses as they do not satisfy the relevant anti-money laundering rules. There are concerns regarding the way in which the cash generated from the business is legitimised.

And so no matter how one feels about gambling, all must admit that Bahamians have allowed the evil to become so much a part of the fabric or our society that its removal would cause social dislocation and chaos.

Whether Bahamians vote for it or against it, society will suffer in one way or another.

Should the vote go for legalising gambling — whether it be the web shop or the lottery — then church pastors will have the responsibility of teaching their congregations about the evil, and encouraging them to avoid it. Baptists do not believe in gambling in any form, not even in the raffles operated by other churches as a method of raising funds for charity.

If web shops are legalised then they will have to divest themselves of a fair portion of their wealth for the good of society — the building of schools, hospitals, sports and other functions that will strengthen the nation. Doctors, social workers and police officers will have to rescue the ones who become addicted and fall between the cracks.

On January 28, Bahamians will have to decide — to gamble, or not to gamble.