High Stakes: Gambling fever

"Gaming is the new buffalo" Anthony Pico, Former chairman of the Viejas Tribe

"I believe it's a deadly disease - the addiction of the 21st century" Art Schlichter, American Football player and gambler

The 1990's was to witness an unprecedented explosion in legal gambling with the arrival of State Lotteries in the United States and the National Lottery in Britain and the final establishment of 'gaming' as a mainstream leisure activity. We look at the winners and losers of the gambling explosion.

We investigate the threat that this fascination has posed to the world of sport which has resulted in a number of recent stories of match-fixing at the highest level.

We examine Australia's emergence as a gambling 'superpower' and the globalisation of the industry thanks to the Internet. Betting is now available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It's an 800lb gorilla, that isn't in the cage any longer.

Tom Grey, on the explosion of gambling

We talk to those gambling addicts whose lives have been destroyed by the 'disease' of gambling. And we examine new drugs on trial for those gamblers beyond hope.

As the gaming wars enter their latest phase, we talk to those in the vanguard of gaming's advance and feature those trying to roll back gambling's expansion.

Both sides are playing for high stakes over the future direction of gambling throughout the world.

GAMBLING FEVER: Tuesday 3rd April 10.35pm BBC1

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Internet Links:

The Gambling Review Body
National Gambling Impact Study Commission (US)