Editorial

Monday, 01 February 2010 05:19

When is aid anything other than aid? As the online gambling industry answers the call for help in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake disaster, many question its motives.

Internet based resources have been quick to respond to the Haitian earthquake disaster of 12th January, including many sectors of the online gambling industry. Following the devastation caused by the earthquake that struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti, a huge number of aid funds were set up to help the country cope with the hardships encountered in its aftermath. You only need to quickly browse through the search engines to find the many initiatives that have been set up by many Internet companies along with official websites and the many social network sites. 

Amongst these you will find pledges of support and donations from many well known gambling companies and their associates. Despite this, there are many that still question the motivating forces that drive an industry that is seen by many as being immoral, corrupt and run by and large by the criminal underworld.

Of course, those things are not true of the vast majority of respectable and law abiding companies that have been established for decades or longer and provide a form of entertainment that has been in existence since the dawn of civilisation. So how is the online gambling industry going about doing their bit for this cause?

Several online casino operators are already helping in many ways, but mostly financially. One of the major contributors and also one of the first to get involved is Calvin Eyre, founder of the well known Bodog casino. He posted pleas personally on his own blog for more of the companies and individuals that are a part of the huge online gambling industry for contributions to help the relief effort. He has already donated £10,000 personally to the UK based charity Oxfam. To show he means business, he has made a promise that all donations made by people from within the industry will be matched by his foundation up to $1,000,000.

Another of the gaming sites that are raising money for the cause is Millionaire Casino by donating from their own VIP rewards fund to the relief fund organised by the Red Cross. They are helping to raise money for repairs and supplies of medical equipment and medications that are need in Haiti. Casino users are also able to choose to donate from their VIP points.

No play tournaments are being organised by online gambling operators that are hosted by famous celebrities or well known poker players. Players can choose to re-direct their winnings to aid funds. To add to the aid being generated by poker in particular, PokerStars is donating money to the Red Cross. Full Tilt is following suit by creating a fund that exclusively helps Haitians via charities.

Many land based casino resorts are busy organizing special concerts and galas and raising money by offering ticket revenues to help the various Haiti relief activities. This is only a small cross section of all the help being offered by this industry.

While this is one industry that can certainly afford to make a huge difference to the relief efforts in Haiti by leveraging their financial muscle, there will always be doubters that will try to find fault where none exists. Less has been mentioned about the equally vast financial monster that is the tourist industry which has been prominent by the fact that it did not come to a halt for a second despite the devastation to one of its prime Caribbean destinations. In fact one of the big Caribbean cruise lines still has its sumptuous tourist ships docked not very far from the very shores of this ruined country. Those same ships that carry wealthy tourists have their own bars, clubs and casinos on board.

But aside from what anybody else thinks or believes, the bottom line is that the people who are in receipt of the aid that is coming from all over the world are not going to be questioning where it's coming from or whether it is morally generated or earned. As long as it's helping to feed the hungry, clothe and shelter the homeless and help to cure and tend to the sick and injured, the colour of the money that pays for it all is the same whatever its origin. So whether it has come from charitable organisations, big business conglomerates, individuals or the gambling industry, that money is being accepted gratefully for what it is. Relief where it is needed most.