MONTREAL – More than 100 000 Quebecers may experience problems related to gambling and online poker, according to projections made by the Directors of Public Health of the 18 regions of Quebec.
These managers have met the press Thursday in Montreal, to ask the government to adopt a one-year moratorium on the development of gambling online by Loto-Quebec, the best time to study the social implications.
Loto-Quebec has already announced it will launch in gambling and online gambling in the month of September, with the approval of the Minister of Finance.
“As physicians, we are concerned. We already have enough problems like that, we did not need a state company that we create others,” protested Dr. Richard Lessard, Director of Prevention and Montreal Public Health.
In making projections based on what happened in Sweden, where online gaming has been nationalized, 10 years ago, directors of public health claim that 105 907 Quebecers could possibly encounter problems associated with games money.
However they define broadly these people might have problems, including not only those who become pathological gamblers, but also those who are vulnerable “at risk”.
“By creating a safe and legal game, it will attract people who do not play” before, argued Dr. Lessard.
“Online gambling is a form of play that has particular consequences and which represents one of the most addictive game is gambling and money that creates the most problems for its participants. When Looking for poker online, studies show that those who play online poker are three to four times more likely to be a compulsive gambler that those who play poker around a table with people, ” said Francois Desbiens, Director of Public Health of the National Capital.
In addition to a moratorium of one year, the Directors of Public Health calls for the establishment of a committee of independent experts to review in advance the impact of increased game offerings
They also require as independent scientific studies on the effectiveness of the proposed by Loto-Quebec to prevent youth from participating in these online games.
Reactions
Loto-Quebec has made his comments before the public health directors will meet the press. The state company puts in doubt the scientific evidence on which to base the directors to express their fears.
Loto-Quebec says sorry too alarmist tone of directors of public health. “What Say the regional directors of public health, we must remember that Quebecers currently have access to more than 2000 online gambling illegal, unregulated and whose integrity is often questionable and it is for Loto – Quebec channel that offers gaming in a circuit controlled, secure environment in whose integrity is impeccable, “said Loto-Quebec in a statement.
The finance minister Raymond Bachand, meanwhile, has just seen in the output of the Directors of Public Health the expression of those who do their work, namely “to bring to the table at risk of public health.”
Minister Bachand noted however that at present, the online game there, even increased, and was not controlled. With Loto-Quebec, he argued, it will be “channeled and controlled” and it will “move the organized crime”.
He also recalled that “less than 1 percent of the players” had problems of pathological gambling.
For its part, the Association of Rehabilitation Centers in dependence of Quebec states that the greater availability of games and the increased risk of pathological gambling go together. Its executive director, Lisa Massicotte, hopes that the community intervention and research can take action on draft Loto-Quebec before it takes shape, within the framework of a public consultation.
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