The Alliance welcomes Nottingham Trent Professor's timely warning
07 November 2006
The Evangelical Alliance welcomes the timely warning by Nottingham Trent Professor Mark Griffiths that slot machines of whatever sized stake can be addictive and that vulnerable children should not be allowed to use them.
The Evangelical Alliance has consistently maintained this view, even when it was being hotly contested, during the passage of the Bill in both houses of Parliament.
The Government disagreed, claiming that a ban would adversely affect seaside arcades. However, this surely stood in direct conflict with Tessa Jowell’s stated number one priority for the Gambling Act of “protecting children and the vulnerable”.
Christians in seaside towns have expressed anxiety about low educational attainment locally, often exacerbated by truanting children in arcades.
Pastor Derrick Hill from Park Baptist Church, Great Yarmouth, said: “the open door policy of seafront arcades is a honey trap for children of high school age.”
The Evangelical Alliance calls on the Government to think again about allowing children to use slot machines in the light of Professor Griffiths’ recent comments.
Gareth Wallace, Parliamentary Officer at the Evangelical Alliance, said: “It is surely common sense that the Government should use its reserve powers under the act to stop children of any age from gambling”.
Notes to editors:
The Evangelical Alliance UK, formed in 1846, is an umbrella group representing over one million evangelical Christians in the UK and is made up of member churches, organisations and individuals. As part of a movement ‘uniting to change society’, the Alliance promotes unity and truth, acts as an evangelical voice to the state, society and the wider Church, and provides resources to help members and other evangelicals live out their faith in their communities.
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