Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

A comprehensive study to determine whether Jamaicans are addicted to gambling, an almost $40 billion industry that has more than doubled in sales over the past three years, is slated to be conducted by the Betting, Gaming and Lottteries Commission (BGLC) this year.

The study is to be conducted at a cost of $4 million.

BGLC Chairman Walter Scott said yesterday that, while it was not a problem globally, it is still necessary to do a local study to find out whether there was a problem here.

"One of the things that the commission has done over the last three years is to look at the dark side, because there is a dark side, and it is a fact that there is a dark side to gaming," Mr. Scott said while addressing a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

Evidence from the US

He said the only evidence that the commission had of this problem was from the United States. He said the numbers show that one per cent of persons engaged in gaming were either addicted or were pathological gamblers.

The study also showed that there were another two to three per cent who fell into the category of problem gamers.

"They are not addicted in the clinical or pathological sense but they show the elements of being problem gamers," he pointed out.

He said funding would provide Jamaican data and analysis of the Jamaican situation to see if it fits in with what is in the United States and to see what is emerging as the international trend.

In the meantime, Mr. Scott also projected that there would be a $4 billion increase in sales in the sector this year.

Outlining the extent of the growth of the industry, Mr. Scott said that gross sales in the gaming industry three years ago were $14 million. He said the figure increased to $32 billion last year with projections to increase to $36 billion by December.

"Our research and analysis of the data reveals that no more than three to four per cent of the total sales in the sector come from visitors. It's all home grown Jamaican," he said.

Mr. Scott said internationally, the picture was different, in that other gambling cities such as Las Vegas in the United States, the bulk of the sales came from visitors

He also projected that Government would this year earn almost $1 billion in tax revenues from the sector.