Chairman of the Gaming Board, Kenyatta Gibson, MP, announced to parliament last week that the Gaming Board is currently reviewing the feasibility of The Bahamas introducing a national lottery. To assist in the decision-making process, the Gaming Board has undertaken a comprehensive study on various authorised lotteries throughout the world and the current status of illegal gambling in The Bahamas.

While some persons feel that it can be harmful, others believe that if properly controlled, a national lottery can be beneficial to all aspects of the Bahamian community, including education, culture, sports and the economy.

The Nassau Guardian gives a brief review of some of the pros and cons of operating national lotteries.

As recent as 1963, lotteries were banned in every state in America. Today, approximately 40 states have legalized state-run lotteries. Their revenues fund a variety of initiatives, including education, economic development, transportation, prison constructions, and youth service programmes.

Arguments against

Not all individuals and groups who oppose lotteries and gambling form their view solely on the basis of moral conviction and religious belief.

There are concerns that legalizing gambling could have a devastating effect on the poor, those who live in the 'grassroots' and "inner city" areas, or the lower socio-economic. For a person mired in poverty, the lottery could epitomise one of the only vehicles of quick elevation out of their economic state. They will gamble and risk more than they should resulting in unpaid bills, and a further plunge into financial crisis, as every penny spent on gambling represents a deprivation to other areas.

Notwithstanding this, for those who will not be 'gambling with their last dime', purchases of lottery tickets does not necessarily replace payments and purchases of other items.

Another argument against the national lottery is that it undermines the ideals of the importance of work and savings, replacing them with a 'get rich quick' philosophy that few lottery players ever enjoy.

Bahamians should be taught that one extracts in direct proportion to what one invests, and the lottery directly attacks this. Further, people should not be given the idea that their problems can be solved by winning the lottery.

The question rings loud, is support for a national lottery fuelled by our burning desire to give money to note-worthy initiatives? Or are we motivated by personal greed and a burning desire to have a chance to win the big jack-pot that lotteries offer?

On an individual basis, the odds of winning the lotto are so infinitesimally small that it may not be a good use of one's money. It's said by some that one may have a higher chance of being struck by lightening than to win millions from paying the lotto.

The expectation that millions of dollars would be generated by a national lottery assumes that demand for a lottery can sustain itself. Many opponents suggest that it likely can not. Since the costs of operating a lottery are initially fixed, countries with relatively small populations, like The Bahamas, must surrender a larger portion of lottery revenue to administrative costs.

In the U.S., it is estimated that roughly half of each dollar is given back to gambling patrons in the form of prizes. Another 14 cents are used to cover administrative and retailing expenses, and 4 cents are held in a reserve as part of a "rainy day fund." Remaining funds about 32 cents per dollar- are divided among the various ear-marked initiatives.