Many of nova scotia’s senior ministers, and the premier himself, have devoted their attention to an issue of the utmost importance to all Nova Scotians and to the governance of the province itself.

Health-care waiting lists can wait a little longer, educational issues can be tested another day, economic prosperity can be cashed in down the line. What is now driving the Conservative government is the pressing issue of gaming — specifically, the use of video lottery terminals and addiction to these gaming machines.

It’s a bold step for a minority government to take: to turn attention away from what would appear to be the critical issues of the day and focus on a crisis that is driving a wedge into the very fabric of our lives. According to a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School of Addictions that summarized the findings of 120 studies on the prevalence of gambling disorders, the number of adults in the U.S. — and Canada, as well — affected by severe gambling disorders has grown exponentially to 1.29% between 1994 and 1997, from 0.84% between 1977 and 1993.
The epidemic must stop.

The premier is betting that tackling this gaming crisis head-on will win him votes in the next election. A Better Balance: Nova Scotia’s first gaming strategy outlines a five-year plan for “change in Nova Scotia’s gaming environment.”

That better balance starts with an extra $3 million for treatment and prevention of addiction to gambling. It includes increasing problem-gambling treatment resources and doing “real-world testing” to determine the best model for treatment in the province.
Then there are the targeted educational programs for youth and seniors. Concerns about seven-year-olds playing VLTs, available only in licensed establishments, are probably driving this initiative.

To show its commitment to addressing this
top-priority initiative, the government is altering the machines to make them less addictive, slowing the speed of play so gamblers won’t spend their money so quickly.

The government is also cutting the number of VLTs by 1,000, which the finance minister estimates will translate into a $40-million drain on the provincial budget.

“The bottom line tells our true commitment,” says Finance Minister Peter Christie. “We are making a clear statement about our priority when it comes to gaming — that is, social responsibility comes first. Our end goal is to reduce our reliance on revenue from VLTs and problem gamblers. This is the right thing to do.”

Meanwhile, the leader of the NDP is pushing for a plebiscite so Nova Scotians can decide whether VLTs and other video-gaming devices should be declared illegal in the province. Indeed, the party has put its plebiscite where its polling data is, pointing out that a recent Corporate Research Associates survey found more than 80% of those surveyed want a referendum on the issue.

“People want to have their say,” says NDP gaming critic Jerry Pye. “They want to weigh all the information for themselves and make a decision on this issue.”

Not to be outdone, provincial Liberals are calling for an immediate ban on VLTs. “The sad truth about the Tories and VLTs is they’re only prepared to do the minimum necessary to make the complaints go away,” says Liberal Leader Danny Graham.

Video lottery terminals are clearly an issue Nova Scotians need to consider. It looks like they’ll have plenty of time to give it the reflection it deserves as they wait to take their medical tests and scan the newspapers for job opportunities.
IE