A TAX ON BETTING
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—" Much better do nothing than do harm," says Canon Green, but to do nothing is often to do the greatest harm. " These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." If the country had adopted Canon Green's policy and done nothing to control the liquor trade until men of good will had created a healthy public opinion which made excessive drinking impossible the condition of society to-day would have been infinitely worse than it is, and the revenue would- have lost many millions of pounds.
Those who desire to impose a tax on betting are actuated by the belief that such a step would be for the well-being of the community, and their belief is based upon the following assumptions which I have not yet seen logically controverted. A properly drafted bill would tend to :— 1. Remove the present anomalies as to the legality of betting.
2. Remove the present temptation which leads to the whole- sale breaking of the law. 3. Remove to a_great extent the inequalities in the position as between rich and poor in the matter of betting.
4. Strengthen the hands of the police in stamping out illegal, i.e., street betting.
5. Restrict the total amount of betting.
6. Provide a considerable revenue for the State. • I fully appreciate the point made in your leader to the effect that taxation should begin by taking the line of least resistance and making no change in the betting laws. Such taxation, however, would do nothing to remove• the intense class feeling which exists on the subject, for as regards betting there is certainly one law for the rich and another for the poor— and the poor know it.
No one suggests that a great vested interest should be created (that is the one thing the law must guard against) or that betting offices should be established in every street open at all hours of the day and night. Stringent regulations as to numbers and hours would be enforced by each local authority. If we can control the sale of chocolate and cigar- ettes we can most certainly control the establishment and working of licensed betting offices.—I am, Sir, &c., Lincolnshire.
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