Published by Good Press, 2019

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      EAN 4064066246525

Table of Contents

       PREFACE

       THE ETHICS OF GAMBLING

       THE EXTENT OF GAMBLING

       Growth of Betting

       An Account of the Present Increase

       Condition of the Country

       STOCK EXCHANGE GAMBLING

       GAMBLING AMONG WOMEN

       CRIME AND GAMBLING

       THE DELUDED SPORTSMAN

       GAMBLING AND CITIZENSHIP

       I

       II

       III

       EXISTING LEGISLATION

       Miscellaneous Gambling

       Betting

       SUGGESTED ALTERATIONS IN THE LAW

       The Press and Gambling

       Conclusion

       THE REPRESSION OF GAMBLING

       APPENDICES

       I LORDS’ RECOMMENDATIONS

       II LORD DAVEY’S STREET BETTING BILL 1903

       III SUMMARY OF LORDS’ COMMISSION

       IV OPINIONS OF EMINENT MEN ON BETTING AND GAMBLING

       V A NOTE ON PEDESTRIANISM

       VI TIPSTERS AND TIPSTERS’ ADVERTISEMENTS

       VII BETTING STATISTICS [16]

       VIII BIBLIOGRAPHY

       INDEX

PREFACE

       Table of Contents

      Until comparatively recent years, betting and gambling were largely confined in this country to the wealthy few. Now, however, the practice has spread so widely among all classes of the community that those who know the facts name gambling and drinking as national evils of almost equal magnitude.

      There is no doubt that the social conscience is as yet only very partially awakened to the widespread character of the gambling evil and to its grievous consequences. Like a cancer, the evil thing has spread its poisonous roots throughout the length and breadth of the land, carrying with them, where they strike, misery, poverty, weakened character, and crime.

      Nor is the practice any longer spontaneous. It is encouraged and organised by an army of social parasites in the shape of bookmakers and their touts; these men or women (for the “profession” is not confined to men) pursue their calling in every town of Britain—indeed, there are probably but few villages or large workshops which are free from them. In many places, indeed, they regularly call for “orders,” the itinerant packman or agent combining this with his recognised business. Even little children have been known to bet their slate pencils in the playgrounds of our State schools, while women and girls in all ranks of society no longer regard the practice as unwomanly.

      And yet, in spite of the acknowledged magnitude of the evil, there are, with a very few notable exceptions, no organised efforts to check it. The apparent apathy of the nation to the extraordinary spread of this mischief in its midst is in sharp contrast to the great efforts organised to combat intemperance. For this there are probably three main causes:—

      1. Ignorance on the part of the general public as to the rapid growth and the mischief of the practice.

      2. Lack of clear thought regarding the ethics of the question.

      3. The difficulty of suggesting practical steps to counteract so insidious an evil.

      The purpose of this book is to supply, in concise and readily accessible form, information which may meet these needs. After a preliminary chapter devoted to the ethics of Betting and Gambling, facts are stated concerning the extent of the evil and its effects on national life. The present position of legislation affecting betting is then dealt with, and suggestions are made as to needed improvements in the law. A concluding chapter considers remedial measures outside the sphere of legislation. In the Appendix additional information is given, which, it is hoped, may be useful, more particularly to speakers and writers, together with a Bibliography of books and papers upon the subject. All the articles are by writers who have given special attention to the topics with which they deal. Three of them, viz. those by John A. Hobson, B. Seebohm Rowntree, and “The Deluded Sportsman,” have appeared before. Two, though originally written for this book, have appeared in periodicals which have a limited circulation in this country, and the third has appeared in pamphlet form.

      B. SEEBOHM ROWNTREE.

      York, April 1905.