Sudbury financial planner petitions against casino

After Toronto city councillors say a petition convinced them to scrap plans for a downtown casino, a Sudbury woman hopes a petition will help keep a full casino out of the Nickel City.

Ruby Lougheed Yawney said she'd close the slots at Sudbury Downs if she could, but realizes there is little support for that. At the least, she wants to prevent a full casino — with table games like poker — from coming to the city, she said.

Her job as a financial planner has opened her eyes to the dangers of problem gambling.

"I've seen detrimental effects that gambling has on people's finances, on their families, on society as whole," she said. "I'm just really opposed to it."       

Lougheed Yawney's petition has only garnered 41 signatures for her online petition so far, which she said is a disappointment, as she has received more verbal support.

"Government should really be supporting their citizens and support responsible citizenship," she said. "Not encouraging people to get involved in vices."

Lougheed Yawney said she will start distributing the petition on paper, which she hopes will yield better results.

A spokeperson with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation said there is a lot of fear mongering when it comes to problem gambling, which he said only affects 3.4 per cent of the people who enter an Ontario casino.

"96 per cent of adult Ontarians that come to our facilities can play responsibly out there," Tony Bitonti said.

The OLG is still looking for a private operator who may or may not want a full casino in the city.