On Monday Guam lawmakers unanimously voted to approve Bill 19, which would allow legal gambling activity to temporarily continue on Guam in order to subsidize the Guam Memorial Hospital and other public agencies.
Once those debts are paid off, all gambling would be outlawed, the bill states.
The Catholic Church on Guam said its main concern about gambling is the effect it will have on the island’s society and its families.
“When people lose money … many problems occur,” said Father Adrian Cristobal.
Cristobal said the Catholic Church is strongly against gambling, having banned bingo and raffles in the church and Catholic private schools.
Cristobal declined to comment when asked what should happen to local nonprofit groups that benefit from gambling revenue.
Cristobal said he is in not in a position to make a statement on behalf of the Catholic Church with regard to the nonprofit issue.
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