When did gambling become the nation's new tipple?
When I was growing up, there were countless adverts on television proclaiming the virtues of certain alcoholic drinks. "Try the taste of Martini"; "I'd love a Babycham"; "Heineken refreshes the parts", etc. At the same time, gambling was regarded as a pursuit so dangerous that the windows of betting shops were blacked out and it was inconceivable that a bookmaker would be allowed to advertise. The not-so-subliminal message was: drinking good, betting bad.