Government’s problem gambling announcement a PR exercise, says MPP Arnott

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, at a press conference today at Queen’s Park, announced a Responsible Gaming Code of Conduct, calling it an “important step in the right direction” to respond to the problem of gambling addiction in Ontario.

Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott attended the press conference and was quick to condemn the Government for not doing enough to respond to this serious public issue, on behalf of families who are impacted negatively by gambling addictions.

In June of 2004, Mr. Arnott introduced a Private Member’s Bill, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Amendment Act. If passed into law, his Bill 95 would prevent the Government from establishing any new gaming premises or expanding any existing ones until it appoints a commission under the Public Inquiries Act to study the negative social impacts of excessive gambling and gambling addictions.

“I want to thank Gambling Watch Ontario, the Waterloo Region Action Group on Gambling Issues, the Canada Safety Council, Anglican Bishop of Toronto the Rt. Rev. Colin R. Johnson, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, John Tory, and many of my Caucus colleagues who offered encouragement and support for Bill 95,” Mr. Arnott said.

“Dave Seglins of CBC Radio and Andrew Chung of the Toronto Star both did outstanding investigative reports over several days to highlight the importance of this issue. The Kitchener-Waterloo Record, the Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail, all took strong editorial positions in favour of the Government taking action on this issue,” he added.

Mr. Arnott has worked hard to highlight the issue of gambling addictions in the Ontario Legislature on numerous occasions during Question Period. He also criticized the Government’s recent decision to spend $400 million to entice more people to gamble at the Windsor Casino. “That money would have been better spent on our hospitals,” Mr. Arnott said.

“The Minister of Economic Development sponsored today’s press conference, but didn’t show up to defend the Government’s record. There was no reference to Stanley Sadinsky’s report, who we’ve been told is studying the issue of problem gambling for the Government. What’s happened to his report?” Mr. Arnott asked.

“The fundamental issue remains: that is the Government is addicted to the revenue, some $2 billion a year, that it receives from gambling. Last fall, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre demonstrated that 35 per cent of the take comes from 5 per cent of adult Ontarians who have a gambling problem. For this reason the Government is not taking concrete action to address this problem, and today’s press conference was nothing more than a public relations exercise,” Mr. Arnott observed.

“I intend to continue raising this issue,” he concluded.