“Viva Las Windsor” - “Viva Niagara”
I’m not a big gambler, so what I am about to say about being in favour of the Harper government giving the thumbs-up to “sport-booking” in Ontario casinos, is not driven by an addiction that would love to be fed from places other than Las Vegas.
Vegas is currently the only place where you can legally bet on sporting events other than horse racing, but the Ontario government is seeking a change to the federal criminal code so that casinos in Niagara and Windsor can offer the same - and I say why not?
Sure it’s a form of taxation, maybe on those who can least afford it - so are lottery tickets - but you don’t pay unless you want to play, and no one is forcing anyone to play. I don’t buy the idea that it’s the government’s role to protect people from themselves and what could end up being the destructive consequences of their actions. A fool and their money is quickly parted in many ways that range from stupid stock market picks to buying swamp land in Florida.
Sport-booking is available anyway and anyone who wants to wager money on a game can find a bookie to take the bet, or an online venue that is happy and equipped to process a credit card.
I don’t think it’s the government’s role to protect people from themselves, but I do believe it’s the government’s role to protect a healthy economic environmnet from deterioration and to proactively help create one when it has the chance to do so. If the Feds can help the economy of southwestern Ontario get some “oomph” by being the only place north of Vegas, where those who want to, can bet on sports - then why would they not? Especially after greasing the economic slide by telling the world that Ontario is the ”last” place in which they should invest.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I completely agree with you John. If they do implement this and, in the process make ooooodles of money, would the Canadian tax payer see some of the benefits? As in, would our taxes, in some way, be reduced?
If not, I’m sure the government would find ways to misappropriate the surplus revenue as they have in the past. Trouble with Canadian government is that it gets way too much money from such ‘indirect’ forms of taxation such as The Beer Store or The LCBO. I would be against the idea of sports betting if we were still made to pay soo much tax while the government reaped the rewards–yet again.