Prime Minister: you are giving us our freedoms back with one hand, don’t take them away with the other

COVID has shown us that the British people can be trusted to use our freedoms responsibly. Recently, I saw a national survey showing 89% of people say wearing face coverings to help stop the spread of Covid-19 is important, even though it’s no longer legally required. 95% of people wore them in the last week when they went outside.

Most of us have bent over backwards to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Not because the law forced us to do so, but because we know how to look after ourselves and use our common sense.

This is obviously the same when it comes to gambling. People who bet are like everyone else – the vast majority know how to manage our betting so it’s only what we can afford. We are aware of problem gambling because we see the messages on bookies and bingo sites every time we are there.

The anti-gambling campaigners don’t seem to have learned anything from COVID. If anything, they just see that freedoms can be taken away by the Government and that gambling should be the next target. To me, and everyone I know that bets, this is a really sad state of affairs.

I know they are well-intentioned but when did any of these elite campaigners actually talk to a non-problem gambler? I’d love to know and I’d love to introduce them to the real world.

Freedom and responsibility has never been more important as the country starts to reopen and restrictions are lifted. We have had a taste of what life without our freedoms and pleasures is like, and if we’re not careful that’s where we could be headed once again. 

I want to use this platform of The Player’s Panel to say to the Prime Minister: you are giving us our freedoms back with one hand, please don’t take them away with the other.