VLT's

VLT's - Video Lottery Terminals - also know as the demon that has clutched me, as defined by Wikipedia:

A Video Lottery Terminal or VLT is a gaming machine that allows gamblers to bet on the outcome of a video game.
A VLT is similar to a slot machine, except that it is connected to a centralized computer system that determines the outcome of each wager using a random number generator. Although the outcome of each wager is random, VLT operators are able to program in advance the total amount and number of payouts that its central computer system will allow at its connected VLTs. In this manner, VLTs can be thought of as computerized scratch-off lottery tickets.

Canada
New Brunswick was the first province to introduce VLTs. They were introduced in the early 1990s, and as of 2005 all provinces permit VLTs due to the massive revenues they generate, except British Columbia and Ontario. Ontario has recently passed legislation that could allow VLTs in the near future, however. VLTs are located in licenced establishments that are not accessible to minors.
The prevalence of VLTs in Canada has prompted criticism both domestically and abroad. Some critics contend that the massive social costs brought on by VLTs actually cause the provinces to lose a greater sum than is generated by the machines. VLTs are accepted by the majority of the Canadian population however because any harm associated with VLTs is theoretically isolated with the abuser.
The payouts offered by VLTs are invariably poor. For example, in Las Vegas most slot machines offer a theoretical payout of approximately 98 cents for every dollar they take in (98%). By contrast, Canadian VLTs pay out 74% of their intake, on average. In Saskatchewan, the VLTs pay out 93% of total cash in.


You can't beat a machine...really, how can you? The odds, well, they're stacked, and not in my favour, or yours.

I wish I lived in British Columbia, or for the time being, Ontario...

I live in Newfoundland, in my estimation, and probably as fact, one of the poorest provinces in Canada. VLT's are in every bar, on every street, some have 3, some 5, some even 10. When the money is out (Social Assistance Day, Old Age Security Day, Pension Day, as we call it here), you have to wait to get one. And people wait...I've waited... Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying only those availing of social programs are gamblers, this is false...but ask anyone in my town...they'll tell you the same thing. In a small out port community, with no industry, no jobs, and too many people with too much time on their hands, this is an easy trap to fall into. Perhaps it is indeed designed that way...but it should never be.

I'm nearing my 10Th anniversary of being an almost daily VLT player...I am 28 years old. The legal age to enter a bar in Newfoundland is 19...you do the math. I'm tired.

I'm also broke, in debt, uneducated, mentally ill.

Now I understand many will say that my gambling is my choice...and they're right, it is...or at least once upon a time it was. Indeed I did have many a problem to contend with before I started this, most not dealt with by the proper methods, most not dealt with at all. But the addition to VLT's to this area certainly paved a lovely escape route for a person like me. Sadly, there are many like me here. I know my life for certain would be much easier if the option to play was not available, but the government wouldn't allow that. They would much rather prefer to send me to a recovery institution out of province, for a total cost of $56000. I am one person, if that is the price tag for one persons recovery, they they are willing to pay, I shutter to think of what revenue they are actually extracting from these machine. For every working person, it is there hard earned money, if they are compulsive gamblers or not. Social Assistance programs are funded by 'the working man's' dollar, so it is till their money. Of course the same can be said about alcohol or drug addiction, any addiction, and the ability to control all of these substances well indeed be a difficult venture...but pulling slot machines out of local bars seems fairly easy to me. They know where each and every one of them are. They Own Them!

As for people having a choice to play or not, being able to play responsibly as they say, that ability is long lost after a short time of indulging. At least for someone like me. I'm out at the bars gaming nearly every day, mostly I see the same faces. Some do come in every once in a while, with a selected amount of money to play, as an evening out, relaxation, entertainment, and leave afterward. But too many others have lost that sense of control. Far too many. To take away the option to play from the occasional gambler wouldn't really affect them at all, would it? In my estimation, if you are craving this, or waiting for this as a 'night out', you already have a problem.

I guess since I have no partner or children to care for or consider, the only person I continually hurt is myself. No, that still is not a good thing, but there are so many people feverishly addicted to these machines, who are literally taking the food out of their children's mouths. You can place total blame on these people, for being careless and irresponsible, but if the VLT's weren't there...I guess they'd find something else to do. And if not, I think maybe they may spend a little more time at home...