Jonathan Lomax, public affairs officer for the Salvation Army, told ePolitix.com: "The joint committee on the draft Gambling Bill has stated in its report that the new bill will lead to an increase in problem gambling. This echoes the fears of organisations including the Salvation Army, which gave oral evidence to the committee.
"The government has stated that the main purposes of the legislation are to keep crime out of gambling, to ensure gambling is fair to gamblers and to protect children and vulnerable people from the negative effects of gambling. However, overwhelming evidence presented to the committee signalled that a rise in problem gambling was virtually inevitable.
"The Salvation Army is not surprised that the committee has accepted that problem gambling will rise as a result of some of the measures included in the draft Bill. It is disappointed, however, that this is seen as an acceptable price to pay for more gambling opportunities, especially given the lack of public demand for them.
"An NOP poll commissioned by the Salvation Army found that 93 per cent of the public felt that there were enough opportunities to gamble in the UK already. This lack of demand begs the question as to why potentially harmful expansion is taking place.
"The committee's conclusion directly contradicts Tessa Jowell's statement to the committee when she said that the Bill would not lead to an increase in problem gambling, and if it did then 'it would have failed and it would be bad legislation'. It is now up to the secretary of state to put on record why she thinks problem gambling will not increase, contrary to all the other expert evidence.
"The Salvation Army welcomes the fact that the committee has recommended the prohibition of fruit machines from unlicensed places such as fish-and-chip shops and minicab offices. However, it is disappointing that the committee has advocated maintaining Britain's unique position in the world in allowing children to gamble on some fruit machines.
"Despite hearing evidence from experts to the contrary, the committee has come to the conclusion that there is an 'absence of sufficient evidence' that children playing fruit machines leads to an increased incidence of problem gambling.
"Yet there is no evidence that shows definitively that playing on fruit machines is a safe pastime for children. The Salvation Army calls on the government to put the safety of children first and prohibit children from playing any fruit machines until research proves that they are safe.
"Positive outcomes of the report include agreeing that the number of fruit machines allowed in casinos should be capped, and that the committee has accepted that the gambling industry must act responsibly, particularly towards children and vulnerable people, in order to gain and keep licences.
"However, when granting licences the Gambling Commission should be required to examine an operator's demonstrable commitment to social responsibility, alongside standards of corporate integrity and financial probity. Social responsibility has to be at the heart of the bill to limit the harm that gambling can cause in people's lives.
"The Salvation Army was also disappointed to see the committee agree with relaxed rules on drinking on gaming floors in casinos. Gambling of any kind requires advanced mental processes, all of which are impaired by the consumption of alcohol.
"We believe the introduction of alcohol to casino gaming floors is a mistake that can only lead people to lose more money. In an NOP poll commissioned by the Salvation Army 82 per cent of the population thought that people were more likely to lose money if they drank alcohol while gambling."
