Creating a Fairer World by Dubious Means?

I picked up a copy of Total Politics April 2011 edition and was interested to read a advertisement from Prime Table Games for their fairer gambling campaign www.fairergambling.org. I was puzzled why a gambling company should be running a campaign for fairer gambling. The advertisement and the website outlines the problem that betting shops are targeting areas with vulnerable demographics. By law betting shops are only allowed a maximum of 4 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. However these machines supply the business with 50-80% of its turnover. This has resulted in a cluster of betting shops in poorer areas where people are more vulnerable to gambling. Apparently in Haringey, London there are 70 betting shops. The advertisement and website raises the issue that the Government seem to be largely ignoring the problem and that the legislation is largely ineffective. I'm dubious about a gaming company funding such a campaign and why advertise in total politics? Also the advertisement is very poor, confusing and I was left not knowing what action to take. They suggest we 'ask for the 2005 gambling act to be rewritten'. To What? By Whom? The second point is 'ask the Gambling Commission to comply with the current 2005 Gambling Act by collecting and providing itemised turnover for all licence renewal applications'. However the gambling Commission does not collect information on the turnover of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals! I'm obviously easily confused!! It's a commendable campaign but it is very wrong that a gaming company should be running it.

Bought The Spirit Level: Why Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better by Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett. When I can take it off my husband who is reading it at the moment I will tell you all about it. I found out about the book at a Fair Trade talk and was curious to find out more about it. Judging from my husband's initial reaction to what he's reading it seems to be changing his perception of the society we live in.