Too high a cost

It seems most councillors were reluctant to talk about video lottery terminals (VLTs) at Monday night’s meeting, and let’s hope it stays that way.
It’s somewhat ironic that the issue of VLTs in local bars, restaurants, and other establishments came back before council the same week the Alberta Knights of Columbus announced it was sacrificing an estimated $1 million a year by foregoing casinos as a revenue source.
The problem, according to the KCs (and the Catholic Church), is that gambling has become more than entertainment and causing the breakup of families.
Look, there’s no question that gambling generates big-time revenues. Governments at all levels, as well as private and non-profit groups, have milked the cash cow of lotteries, casinos, Bingos, pull tabs, and raffles for years by tapping into the new Canadian dream—“Imagine the freedom.”
But many are now balking—rightfully so—at the social cost.
Even proponents of VLTs concede the problem. In a letter to town council, Tony Silvestri, Northwestern Slots for Charity off-site VLT co-ordinator, wrote, “We are spending thousands in gambling addiction with no return. The U.S. casino makes the profit and we take the debt.”
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft hit the nail on the head when he said, “What a sales pitch.”
Sure, bringing in VLTs might, on the surface, look to be easy money for the town. Siphoning $50 a week out of people’s pockets for that one-in-a-million chance to strike it rich certainly won’t spark the same firestorm as, say, a 15 percent tax hike or 25 percent jump in user fees.
But what good is that money when you have to turn around and spend it on programs to combat gambling addiction, as well as the lovely spin-off benefits of alcohol/drug addiction, domestic violence, and other crime, especially theft?
VLTs should be put to rest once and for all. Let’s tackle the problems we already face rather than create new ones.