Is Gambling Really Our Civic Duty?

Someone called gambling a civic duty in the biggest Finnish newspaper.
It made me wonder how close the writer was to the truth. For many decades
Finns have gambled in order to do good and support the public health causes.
Despite the fact that Finland is a welfare society, its members have always
gambled happily.

A few weeks ago the same newspaper announced that the government needs
gambling revenues to decrease budget deficit. First, the government would
need 10 million Euros from the Slot Machine Association's annual revenues, but
much more in the future. This piece of news made me think of some interviews
I made in Paris a couple of years ago. When I asked about the distribution of
gambling revenues in France, I was told that each ministry would decide about
it. The idea of good causes was unfamiliar to French civil servants and professionals.

Gambling should not be seen as a civic duty. Finns pay all kind of taxes
and expect to get services in return. For example public schools are free, school meals
are free, every child is entitled to a place in the public daycare and
public health services have low fees. The welfare system is not perfect:
the population is aging and senior citizens need better care, children
and young people need more mental health services and there is too much
unemployment especially among youth. Gambling should not be another
kind of taxation.

Seeing gambling as a civic duty would mean that every Finn should play
lottery games, place a coin in gambling machines or bet on horse races -
whether they are rich or poor or addicted. The Finnish gambling operators
would create new ways to make the citizens respect their duty. Soon the
operators would enter in a ferocious competition with each other, because
they all should help to decrease the deficit.

Duty cannot be synonymous with fun. Because we have rights, we have
obligations and duties. The welfare system cannot depend on gambling
revenues, because gambling is a form of entertainment for those who wish
to practice it. Taking care of each other should be our civic duty and not
making money for unexplained causes.