Problem gamblers highlighted.

Toronto -- Gambling is big in the province of" Ontario (as in other provinces). Ontario's Liberal government operates four large casinos and there are also six smaller charity ones. These bring in $5.7 billion annually, $2 billion of which is profit. All this comes with a price; of the 83% of adult Ontarians who gamble legally, around 65,000 have developed serious gambling problems.

The Ontario Minister of Health claims that the province has invested more than any other world jurisdiction to address gambling addiction problems. However, Stanley Sadinski, former chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, claims that the province should be doing more, especially as funds to address it were arbitrarily decreased during the years 2002-2004.

Sadinski recommends new laws and educational programs; among them a gambling Helpline, advertisements warning of the dangers of gambling, prevention campaigns for vulnerable populations, including children, and removal of ATMs from gaming floors. (Toronto Star, September 28, 2005)