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The College's Comments on the Report of the Royal Commission on Gambling^*

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is concerned that the importance of pathological gambling, a condition associated with a great deal of individual distress and social disturbance, was largely dismissed by the Royal Commission on Gambling. While we agree that more hard data regarding gambling in general and pathological gambling in particular would be valuable (Section 2), there is already sufficient evidence to show that public policy on gambling has an important effect on the incidence of pathological gambling. In particular, it should be recognized that the total amount of gambling occurring in the community determines the level of pathological gambling. Consequently, although prohibition is neither desirable nor practicable, the more gambling is encouraged the more likely are some people to misuse it (Section 3).

This situation is compounded by incitement to excessive gambling which occurs especially in betting offices to increase the levy, with instant lotteries to provide additional funds for societies and local authorities, and in the use of jackpot machines to subsidize bingo clubs (Sections 5, 6, 7, 9).

Furthermore, it is regrettable that the Royal Commission's preoccupation with the mathematical odds and financial aspects of gambling resulted in important psychological factors being disregarded. While it is wholly desirable that gamblers should be given an economic fair deal, this is by no means the end of consumer protection (Section 4).

It is therefore important that the total situation should be carefully monitored, and this can only be adequately performed by a Gambling Authority (Section 8).