Betting the House

Ashley Thomson is a full librarian at Laurentian University and co-editor or co-author of nine books, most recently Margaret Atwood: A Reference Guide, 1988-2005.

Brian Hutchinson is an award-winning journalist whose articles have
appeared in diverse Canadian periodicals. In researching this story, he
blew $1918 (“more than [he] had planned to lose”) in variety of
gambling venues. Hutchinson acknowledges that gambling gives a tingle to
players while at the same time providing large profits to the owners of
gaming establishments and to the provincial governments that
enthusiastically endorse the activity. Overall, however, he emphasizes
that for some individuals, gambling can lead to addiction, family
problems, and crime. Moreover, he argues that gambling fails as a
panacea for rejuvenating local economies. He suggests that thanks to the
Internet, it looks as though gambling is here to stay.

Hutchinson’s coverage of the historical origins of government
involvement in the industry is a particularly strong feature of the
book, marred only by his reluctance to reference any of his information.
Although his book often reads like a series of magazine articles that
have been loosely strung together, it should appeal to people who like
to read about losers.