ACDP Opposes Daily Lottery

Cheryllyn Dudley MP – ACDP

Friday, 13 September 2002


“The lottery is stealing from the poor communities supposedly to pay for things our tax money should be paying and the ACDP strongly opposes a daily lottery,” said Mrs Dudley MP for the African Christian Democratic Party in response to the news of Uthingo’s proposed bid for a daily lottery draw.

“Gambling has proven to be unprofitable and cannot be defended in terms of benefiting the economy. The revenue raising ability for provinces and charity organisations was used, as a carrot to con the public into thinking vast amounts would be spent to alleviate poverty and hardship. The reality however, is that poverty has increased and organisations working to alleviate suffering receive little or no assistance.

The Gambling Industry exploits peoples’ weaknesses and undermines efforts toward moral regeneration. This new culture, which promotes greed, and instant gratification and undermines, the need to study, family life, delayed consumption and frugality is a direct attack on the family.

“Gambling is becoming the No 1 reason for rates arrears,” this is a view expressed by a senior Unicity official at an exco meeting last year,” said Mrs Dudley.

In conclusion Mrs Dudley said, “The ACDP is not only opposed to a daily lottery but is also opposed to the Lottery as a whole in light of the astronomical social costs.”


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For further comment please call Cheryllyn Dudley MP at 082 8906520 or ACDP Media Liaison Liza Bloemetje at 082 4781037