Editorial

Gambling in Malta is mushrooming out of control. The thrill of winning a bet, a lottery, of getting a lot of money for the cost of next to nothing - it is not unusual for one not to realise how much money is going down the drain in the hope that Lady Luck would, at some stage, smile - is an intoxicating thrill that can easliy get a hold on too many of us.

There is no doubt that the government is aware of this and has, in fact, given the green light to casinos, online gambling and the proliferation of slot machines. Gambling is a lucrative business. But, principles aside, gambling also has a very negative aspect.

Unfortunately for those who get trapped in the grip of the vice of gambling, the consequences can be disastrous. Few bad habits can give rise to such catastrophic financial losses. The impact of such situations ruins not only the gambler but also his/her family and society. It also gives rise to the accompanying curse of usury that preys on people heavily in debt.

Voluntary organisations exist to support victims of gambling addiction. A Gozitan priest, Fr Emmanuel Cordina, founder of the Oasi Foundation, copes with such people and is well aware of their dire predicament.

The proliferation of the gambling culture has raised his ire as he is seeing many families "smashed" as a consequence of debts incurred by this crippling vice. The situation, he pointed out, was such that gambling was crawling "onto our doorsteps".

Evidently, Fr Cordina does not mince his words. He condemns this development as a moral crisis, where money has become the supreme value that trumps every other consideration.

It is counter-evangelical for Church-run organisations and priests to involve themselves in this activity in their scramble to raise funds.

He decries the fact that parish halls, sport centres and other venues connected to the Church and whose purpose should be to promote culture and wholesome entertainment are now, in pursuit of money, contributing to the corruption of their community, especially the young and immature.

Fr Cordina feels so strongly about the unfolding consequences of this addiction to gambling that he has appealed to Gozo Bishop Mario Grech to address the situation, which, he insists, is getting out of control with the recent prospect of a 24-hour bingo centre being projected by a band club in Gozo.

It is obviously very confusing, to say the least, when Church organisations and affiliated societies involve themselves enthusiastically in an activity that is officially frowned upon by the Church. It is unacceptable that the Church, instead of living up to its declared principles and leading by example, is seen to be fostering the culture of gambling. It is long overdue that the Church revisits its fund-raising policies and attempts to introduce more socially-acceptable measures.

One hopes that Fr Cordina's concerns and high-profile reaction will not be in vain and that the Church authorities will take stock of the situation and put a halt to this highly-detrimental development.

His concerns should also be an eye opener for the government. It should seriously investigate the consequences of a liberalised gambling culture that is evidently getting more and more out of hand.

If moral principles are sacrificed on the altar of pecuniary gain, in the short or long term it will be society and the country that will end up paying the bitter price, with interest.