Deep damage of gambling addiction

Gambling can be as destructive and corrosive as an addiction to alcohol or drugs. While it may not ruin the liver, other organs or show its ravages on the skin, the damage it can do when it gets out of control runs deep.

 

Gambling addiction is as damaging as drink

Gambling can be as destructive and corrosive as an addiction to alcohol or drugs.

While it may not ruin the liver, other organs or show its ravages on the skin, the damage it can do when it gets out of control runs deep.

Take the case today of Timothy Jones from Burntwood, who became so hooked on gambling he cheated his bride out of £22,000.

This was not some calculating charmer or lothario, marrying for money, but someone whose addiction cancelled out the fundamental bond of trust between husband and wife.

Like alcohol, gambling is something that is very enjoyable in moderation but devastating when it is taken too far.

And it is something that affects people across every section of society, from the richest to the poorest.

Timothy Jones was employed as a teacher, but his conviction has closed that career to him.

Then we have the story of Simon Perfitt, an IT executive who drove a Porsche, but became addicted to the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) found in bookies’ shops in every high street.

Mr Perfitt’s story is one of redemption at an enormous cost.

He frittered away everything pouring money into these machines when he could have been living a life that millions dreamed of.

Having managed to beat his addiction he could have just walked away and tried to rebuild his life.

Instead, to his enormous credit, he is setting up a charity to help others.

Across the areas of the West Midlands served by this newspaper, experts suggest as much as £30 million has been lost in FOBTs, dubbed by critics as the ‘crack cocaine’ of gambling.

Imagine what could have been done with that money had it been put to good use.

Families with a gambling addict parent could have instead gone on luxury holidays or been able to afford the deposit on a new house.

Had the money been pooled it could have helped build schools, employ nurses or improve transport.
The West Bromwich Labour MP Tom Watson now wants the law to be changed to restrict the growth of this industry and it is hard to disagree with him, particularly when he acknowledges his own party’s failings in allowing this situation to develop.

Drunks are banned from buying alcohol. Addicts have to be stopped from doing themselves further harm. If people cannot have sympathy for their plight, then at the very least it makes sense because of the cost to the public purse of a slide into crime.

All aboard the gravy train

If politicians are serious about convincing us of the benefits of high speed rail, perhaps they should have a polite word with Sir David Higgins.

The boss of HS2 Ltd, the organisation set up to deliver the £50 billion project, says it will need ‘20 to 30’ people within the next six months who will be paid more than the Prime Minister’s salary of £142,500 a year.

“The worst money you can save is skimping on paying the best people,” he says.

Let us just put this into perspective. A single piece of infrastructure, albeit a very big one, requires dozens of people whose jobs are valued more highly than the person who runs the entire country, HS2 is effectively saying.

Also, is the ball park figure of ‘20 to 30’ not disconcertingly vague, given the vast sums of money these people will be paid?

If Sir David is certain that these staff will be so vital to the project, should he not be able to say precisely how many he will need and what exactly they will do?

Of course it does not matter to HS2 Ltd or the Government. They are not in this to make a profit for their investors - the taxpaying public.

It is only your money they are spending.



http://www.expressandstar.com/comment-and-opinion/star-comment/2014/07/04/deep-damage-of-gambling-addiction/