Opposition to gambling in Bermuda is a 'myth' according to the authors of a new report.
The Task Force on Gaming, which canvassed public opinion as part of a fact-finding mission for its report, concluded that Bermudians were far more relaxed about the subject than had previously been believed.
It states: "We had been led to believe and expected that we would have received significant opposition from Bermuda's various church groups. Such was not forthcoming.
"Why is this? First and foremost we now believe that the previously perceived public opposition to gaming in Bermuda was largely a myth."
The statement appears to contradict the often vociferous opposition to Gaming expressed in the House of Assembly and in the media whenever the subject has been debated in the past.
A recent Research.bm poll, for The Royal Gazette, concluded that 47 per cent of Bermudians were against changing gaming laws, according to the paper.
Few opposed
But Marc Daniels, a lawyer who served on the task force, insisted that opposition had not come across in its public consultations on the issue.
"There are some people who have expressed displeasure but we were certainly not inundated with opposition. There were a lot of people who responded and said we would like to see this or that but very few who were flat out opposed to it."
The Task Force held three public meetings and invited the public to participate in the debate through newspaper advertisements. The report indicates that as few as five people out of an average attendance of 45 in the public meetings were opposed to gaming.
"The community cannot say they did not know this discussion was taking place," added Mr Daniels.
He believes the man on the street is not opposed to gaming.
"I've had many people come up to me and say it is an excellent idea because Bermuda's tourism product is taking hits right now.
"I think there is also a lot of locals that would like to have further options for entertainment."
The report adds that 80 per cent of Americans and 72 per cent of Brits believed gaming was acceptable in recent surveys.
It adds: "Gaming and gambling has internationally become mainstream and main street and thus have received a far greater degree of public acceptance in recent years.
"It is therefore our perception, derived from our experiences conducting the duties of this Task Force that the majority of the Bermudian public today is not opposed to gaming."
