Clocks in UKs armory against problem gambling英国放开赌博业 时钟被邀防赌瘾

Clocks will be one of Britain's weapons against problem gambling when it is employed to help gamblers keep track of time. 

Clocks will be one of Britain's weapons against problem gambling when itliberalizesthe sector, allowing a new wave of large Las Vegas-style casinos across the country, the government said last Thursday.

Traditionally, casinos have avoided giving customers clues to how long they've been gambling,spurningclocks and often shutting out sunlight in the early hours of the morning.

But draft gambling rules Thursday set out measures to combat addiction and crime, including licenses for finance and managing directors, a ban on free drinks and measures to help gamblerskeep track of time.

"Casino and bingo operators must introduce measures to control continuous and repetitive play, such as designing sites and implementing procedures to encourage breaks in play and making customers aware of the time they have spent gambling," said the Gambling Commission.

A spokeswoman said the measures might include clocks on walls, timers and alerts on machines and breaks in play.

"Alcohol must not be used as an inducement to encourage people to gamble," added the Commission.

The new gambling acttakes full effectfrom September 2007 and will allow 17 new casinoson top ofthe current 140, one of them a giant supercasino.

The Commission estimated annual UK gambling turnover, including the lottery, at about 53 billion pounds .

Tessa Jowell, the minister in charge of gambling, said gambling should not be treated like any other industry.

"What can be a harmless pastime for one person can be a life-destroying addiction for another," she said.

英国政府上周四表示，在放开对赌博业限制，允许在全国范围新开一些拉斯韦加斯式大赌场的同时，在赌场内挂放钟表将成为预防问题赌博的手段之一。

为了避免让顾客知道自己在赌场里耗了多久，赌场历来不安置钟表，并杜绝让清晨的阳光射进室内。

但周四的赌博法草案规定，政府要采取措施抵制赌"瘾"行为和赌博犯罪。法案规定赌场财务和管理人员必须申请牌照，禁止赌场发放免费饮品，采取措施让赌徒有时间观念。

赌博业委员会说，赌场经营者必须采取措施控制无节制的赌博行为，比如，他们得设置一些场地、安排一些程序，鼓励在游戏中间停下来休息，同时，赌场得让顾客意识到他们在赌场里耗了多久。

一位女发言人说，这些措施包括在墙上挂置时钟，在赌场内放置计时器或警报器等装置，在赌博其间规定休息时间。

赌博业委员同时表示："赌场不得用酒精吸引顾客赌博。"

新的赌博法案将于2007年9月全面生效，届时，除了现有的140个赌场外，政府将再开设17个新赌场，其中包括一个超大型赌场。

据赌博业委员会估计，每年，英国包括彩票在内的赌博营业额是530亿英镑。

负责赌博业的部长泰萨·乔威尔说，赌博业不同于其它行业，应该特别对待。

她说："对一些人来说，赌博也许是一项无害的娱乐活动；但对另一些人来说，它可能成为毁灭一个人一生的毒品。"

spurn:to reject something contemptuously（因轻视而拒绝某物）

keep track of time:（有时间观念）

takes full effect: （全面生效）

on top of: in addition to; besides（附加地；另外）