I thank Dr Leonard Leng Qi An for explaining the harmful effects of gambling addiction ("With ease of access, more will be tempted"; Sept 16).

Like him, I am concerned about the possible legalisation of online gambling.

Many are deterred from online gambling simply because it is illegal. By legalising it, we remove an important moral barrier to entry into the world of gambling for our children, who are taught to respect the law.

I am concerned about the effects legalising online gambling will have on society.

Already, we are seeing increasing jobless rates amid a sluggish economy and rising divorce rates. Do we want to add further stress to the family structure due to increasing gambling addictions?

Access to gambling becomes too convenient when it is just a click away. It is foolish to place the seduction of gambling within easy reach.

We know that gambling addiction can destroy lives and is not easily cured. We should flee from temptation, not bring it nearer to us.

The Ministry of Home Affairs' website states that "the objectives for regulating remote gambling are to maintain law and order and protect young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by remote gambling".

Do we still want to uphold this aim? If so, how does legalising online gambling go towards meeting these objectives?

The move to allow online gambling appears to be aimed at trying to counter illicit gambling on unauthorised websites.

This takes us down the very slippery path of "if you can't beat them, join them". Will we next be legalising drugs because of the many illegal drug traffickers?

Let's not even think about legalising online gambling.

Soon Kim Tat