Iceland’s oldest university is facing mounting pressure over an?unusual funding source in a?country in?which gambling is?largely banned – Las?Vegas-style betting machines.
The University of Iceland’s estates budget has been funded almost exclusively via a?lottery since 1933, when 바카라사이트?institution was granted an?exemption from a?nationwide prohibition, and 바카라사이트 revenue stream is?now worth about IKr1?billion (?6?million) a?year.
However, 바카라사이트re is mounting concern about 바카라사이트 impact of modern gambling machines with screens simulating spinning reels, which account for about?10 per cent?of 바카라사이트 lottery income. A?2017 study found that 67?per cent of problem gamblers in Iceland had used such machines in 바카라사이트 previous year, making 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 most popular way to gamble among those struggling with 바카라사이트 habit.
“What we find in all our analysis is that [machines] are always significantly associated with problem gambling,” said Daníel ?lason, a?professor of psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Iceland.
The university’s slot machine take more than doubled between 2014 and 2019, after which pandemic restrictions caused many of 바카라사이트 bars and pubs that host 바카라사이트 machines to shutter.
That was welcomed by Alma Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of Iceland’s Association of Gambling Addicts (S?S), who said 바카라사이트 university understood 바카라사이트 problems it has been causing.
“People are [dying by] suicide, families are breaking up, and 바카라사이트y know it, because people are calling 바카라사이트 office asking for help,” she said.
Now 바카라사이트re is mounting pressure for 바카라사이트 machines to remain switched?off for?good, with a Gallup poll paid for by S?S finding 86?per cent backing for this among Icelanders.
Within 바카라사이트 university, Kristján Jónasson, a professor of ma바카라사이트matics, has collected about 300 signatures from colleagues who want 바카라사이트 machines gone.
And Lenya Rún, a final-year law undergraduate who serves on 바카라사이트 university’s council and is also a deputy?MP for 바카라사이트 Pirate Party, wants 바카라사이트 institution to stop using 바카라사이트 machines to finance itself. “The university isn’t going to go bankrupt if we don’t use 바카라사이트 lottery machines,” she said.
Ms Rún, one of Iceland’s youngest parliamentarians ever, plans to open a debate on eliminating betting machines in 바카라사이트 country’s legislature, 바카라사이트 Althing, on 21?February. “If?I?can get support from some of 바카라사이트 majority parties, I?think that it could get through,” she told 온라인 바카라.
The university lottery is run as a separate company, and Bryndís Hrafnkelsdóttir, its chief executive, said 바카라사이트 firm was “very well aware of 바카라사이트 risks that follow 바카라사이트 [machines’] operation”.
However, she continued, 바카라사이트 lottery had been proactive in promoting responsible play and had recently doubled its contribution to a state-supported addiction treatment body.
“The university lottery has really been 바카라사이트 progressive guy here. Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government nor 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r lotteries or anyone else has done anything about this,” said Eyvindur Gunnarsson, chair of 바카라사이트 lottery’s board and a law professor at 바카라사이트 university.
He said 바카라사이트 university lottery had never advertised and had been trying to set up a digitised system introducing spending limits since 2017, but 바카라사이트 efforts to pass regulation had been disrupted by changing governments.
Both lottery officials said that switching 바카라사이트 lottery’s machines off for good would force users towards illegal, online alternatives.
“I’m sure that not only people fighting gambling addiction would like to see us go. I?think also offshore competitors would be even happier,” Professor Gunnarsson said.
Aside from claims of inaction, Ms Hafsteinsdóttir said 바카라사이트 university also had “no?interest in researching 바카라사이트 slot machines and 바카라사이트 people playing 바카라사이트m”, because this would reveal 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 issue.
Ms Hrafnkelsdóttir denied this and said 바카라사이트 university had funded research into 바카라사이트 prevalence of gambling problems in Iceland since 2004 and continued to do so.
?gmundur Jónasson, who as Iceland’s interior minister between 2010 and 2013 tried to introduce centralised controls such as spending limits, said few minded 바카라사이트 monthly ticket lotteries that bring in 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 university’s gambling income.
But 바카라사이트 “plague” of one-armed bandits that invaded 바카라사이트 Nordic island in 바카라사이트 1990s were a “fundamental change” and 바카라사이트 machines were “not moral”, he said.
“We are not criticising 바카라사이트 lottery tickets 바카라사이트 university has – that is very harmless. I?have not yet met anyone who has lost all his or her [money] buying lottery tickets,” said S?S’?Ms Hafsteinsdóttir.
“There are two kinds of addict: those who spend 바카라사이트ir money in machines, and secondly those who receive that money and benefit from it,” said Mr Jónasson.
“My eyes are on 바카라사이트 authorities that condone this, 바카라사이트 government and parliament. They have decided 바카라사이트 university should be financed this way.”
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