As the City of Hamilton continues to decide whether or not to be the home of a new Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) casino, many issues have been raised on both sides of the debate. But the issue of student gambling has largely been ignored.
Hamilton is home to Mohawk College and McMaster University, which have approximately 33,000 full-time students combined. On top of that, Redeemer University College and Columbia College also bring in about 2,500 more students to the city.
A 2006 study by the Responsible Gaming Council found 18 to 24-year-olds have the highest chance of becoming problem gamblers, and that age group makes up a large percentage of Hamilton?s post-secondary students.? A 2007 study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says the odds of a gambling problem increase when young gamblers live in close proximity to a casino.
Neither Mohawk College nor its president, Rob MacIsaac, has come out for or against the casino proposal.
When contacted for comment, Mohawk?s Director of Communication, Jay Robb, said the college does not have an opinion on the proposed casino, adding that the college?s Health Services can make referrals for any student struggling with a gambling addiction.
Local anti-casino activist Graham Crawford says Mohawk and McMaster, as well as other educational institutions, should break their silence on the casino issue.
?Rob MacIsaac and Patrick Deane and anyone else at a high level like that in academia in this town should be ashamed of themselves for being silent,? says Crawford. ?It?s their responsibility to help and to look after the students, who in my view are their wards while students at their institutions.?
Mohawk Students Association President Andrew Hall says the MSA doesn?t have a formal position on the proposed casino either.
?The MSA is very much aware of the casino being proposed for downtown Hamilton. Currently, the city is still in the very early discussion stages, and hasn?t by any means come to a decision either way,? says Hall. ?If the city decides to move forward with the casino, by all means the MSA would do a campaign to highlight the dangers of problematic gambling.?
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Source: http://www.satelliteonline.ca/2013/01/22/student-gambling-a-potential-casino-problem/
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