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Lottery Terminals Linked to Suicide - Canada
Canadian Press - May 25, 2004
WINNIPEG: Manitoba's chief medical examiner is expressing
concern about the province's plan to spend $75-million (Cdn.) on
state-of-the-art video lottery terminals.
Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra said he has documented 12 cases
between 1999 and 2003 of Manitobans with gambling problems committing suicide.
He acknowledged that in most of those cases it is
impossible to trace a direct cause and effect, because people who commit suicide
usually have family and other problems as well.
But he still questions the NDP government's recent decision
to buy 5,375 new VLTs in an attempt to reverse sagging gambling numbers
Dr. Balachandra noted a decline in gambling has been
attributed to a smoking ban in bars and casinos.
"That's a good thing," he said. "Why don't we leave it at
that?" he asked.
"Now you've got some fancy machines and they'll go back [to
gambling]."
Manitoba Lotteries Minister Scott Smith said in April new
VLTs are needed to replace the province's 12-year-old machines and help
reattract players.
He was not available for comment.
But Susan Olynik, a spokeswoman for the Manitoba Lotteries
Corp., said the main reason for replacing old VLTs is that they will soon be
obsolete. The manufacturer has told the province it will not support the
machines beyond 2005, she said.
Mr. Scott has said the new machines would include
responsible gambling features and messages. The vendor, International Game
Technology of Nevada, also is to contribute $500,000 over five years to
responsible gambling programs in Manitoba.
A 1996 study by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba said
one out of four people who sought treatment for gambling addiction had attempted
suicide.
Copyright 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive.
http://cfcn.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/RTGAM
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