Terminal damage

the long version

"The Atlantic Lottery Corporation promotes its VLT product as a win-win for Atlantic Canadians. "Even those who didn't win a prize enjoyed a moment of fun with a chance to dream ..." intones the corporation's advertising. The truth is that financial stress, marriage break-up, physical and mental health issues, depression, alcohol dependency and suicide go hand-in-hand with pathological gambling. In spite of this obvious scourge, governments knowingly turn a blind eye toward the social fallout. What they do have an eye for is the annual revenue figures derived from gambling. VLTs, by far the most addictive of all gambling activities, are also the biggest cash cow. This book examines why public policy action has been more symbolic than substantive and how VLTs have become increasingly politicized since the early 1990s. It is a clarion call to governments to take real action. Book jacket."--Jacket.