Online gambling creates addiction: Bagnall

Prince Edward Island's interim Opposition leader doesn't want the province to expand the online gambling it offers.

Progressive Conservative MLA Jim Bagnall said a proposal from the Atlantic Lottery Corporation being considered by Finance Minister Wes Sheridan would only attract more gamblers.

"There are people that don't want to go out in public and gamble because they're scared somebody might see them," Bagnall said.

"But if they can do it in the comfort of their own home, and get on and gamble, and be closet gamblers, for instance, this is a problem that is adding to the addictions that could happen here in the province."

Sheridan has argued that Islanders are already gambling online on unregulated sites from outside Canada and that an Atlantic Lottery site would be a better way to prevent problem gamblers and underaged teens from playing.

The money from online gambling could go toward public services if run through the province, he has said.

But Bagnall says British Columbia has had problems with organized crime hacking into people's accounts since they started online gambling.

"The province should be putting money into addictions, rather than adding to the addiction problem," he said.

Atlantic Lottery already offers PlaySphere, a website that allows people to wager on some online games, but not multi-player poker, blackjack and other casino games.