Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) online gaming operators and players yesterday supported Finance Minister Colm Imbert plan to impose a 10 per cent tax on all cash winnings, saying it is a good avenue to generate income in these tough economic times.
The measure was announced during yesterday’s budget presentation.
One operator at Duke Street said given T&T’s financial challenges and high debt ratio, Government had little or no choice but to impose harsh penalties.
“Well, how I see it is the country has no money and is better Government do this than food gone up. Look at the state of the country....things real hard,” he said.
Belmont resident James Mitchell, who was at the time purchasing a lotto ticket, said he too believed the new tax was a good idea.
“Government has to get money some how. Every now and then I buy lotto and a scratch, but the ten per cent would not stop me from buying a ticket. I will still buy my ticket and hope to win like everybody else,” Mitchell said.
Another lotto operator at City Gate said while she agreed that gambling ought to be taxed the measure was somewhat harsh.
“Playing lotto is like investing money, because some people put out a lot of money to buy lotto and scratch every week. So if you win why you have to pay ten per cent on that? What you win you should keep, but then again it better that way than poor people suffer,” she said.
At Charlotte Street, lotto agent Pamela Lewis said gambling, like alcohol and cigarettes will “always sell.”
“Before some people buy a bread I see them buy a lotto ticket or a scratch or a cash pot. Is a good thing because some people might now think twice to buy the bread instead to feed their children, but I also understand that the Government need money. We hardly have oil and gas and the country in real debt,” Lewis said.