BETTING CRAZE

Evening Star, Issue 21292, 22 December 1932, Page 13

BETTING CRAZE

AH ECONOMIC PERIL Giving evidence before the Royal Commission on Lotteries and Betting, sitting at Westminster during October, the Rev. Cecil H. Rose, secretary of the Vigilance Group on Gambling appointed by the Methodist Church, dealt specially with the “ tote.” He said a study of the debates in Parliament on the Racecourse Betting Act, 1928, provided conclusive evidence that Parliament expected the operation of the totalisator to bo subject to definite limitations. Events quickly made evident the intention of the Betting Control Board to Scarry their activities far beyond those limits. Taking advantage of loose drafting in the Act, they had extended facilities for betting through the totalisator far beyond the limits contemplated. The witness condemned the use of the “ tote ” on dog racing tracks and supported ■ the council’s recommendation ' that if it _ were not regarded as practicable to abolish the totalise, tor it should be amended to provide that it should deal only with cash betting on horseracing courses; all chit betting, credit betting, ante-post betting, the employment of agents and advertising in connection with the totalisator should bo made definitely illegal, and all other form of parimutuel betting made definitely illegal. Mr P. J. Chamberlain, general secretary of the National Council of Y.M.C.A.s, submitted and supported a statement by that body stating that there was overwhelming evidence of the prevalence of gambling among youths in the populous districts consulted. " Many of the reports indicated a connection between the receipt of the “ dole 11 by a youth and his participation in gambling activities, and stated that it was evident that a considerable amount of the unemployment insurance money was used in many cases for gambling purposes. Ho said it was the strong opinion of the trusted leaders that gambling was increasingly prevalent among boys and young men, and it was their view that protection should bo ensured for boys against such forms of gambling as could be dealt with by legislation. Replying to questions bv Sir Stanley Jackson, the witness said he had been simply amazed by the reports from their various responsible workers at the increasing amount of all forms of gambling by boys and youths. They started with trifling amounts on cards, went on to dog racing, and wore encouraged to bet even pennies, and so developed into shillings on horse racing. Twenty years ago he would have considered this matter almost negligible, but now he regarded it as a very grave problem indeed. Mr J. S. Hardman, of the Sunday School Union, spoke of the growth of gambling in the Rossendale (Lancs.) area and ita influence on Sunday school work. He said they had already ascertained that Sunday school scholars, both male and female, and even Sunday school teachers, were reported to indulge in gambling habits; and there was evidence that the element of gambling was entering into the life of the Sunday school through sports, such as belting on the results of football matches between inter-Sunday school teams.