Casinos Are Booming Thanks to State Governments' Need to Exploit Gambling Addicts for Revenue

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http://www.alternet.org/hard-times-usa/casinos-are-booming-thanks-state-governments-need-exploit-gambling-addicts-revenue



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What Are the Odds That Casinos Hurt?

People have been gambling for thousands of years. But in recent decades, casinos in the U.S. have seen enormous growth. Long after Nevada legalized casino gambling in 1931, New Jersey legalized it in 1976. Since then, casinos have rapidly sprung up, and today there are about 900 casinos throughout 38 states nationwide.

Why such a drastic expansion?

Casinos have primarily escalated because state governments are increasingly turning to them for a source of revenue. In the past, federal officials often publicly acknowledged the harms of gambling. For instance, during the Great Depression, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia dumped slot machines into the Long Island Sound and shamed those who attempted to prey on his residents during financial hardship.

Today, however, state governments work with casino managers in the name of revenue, which they justify by allotting the money to projects that are meant to enhance communities. In reality, however, governments’ partnership with casinos ultimately harms communities. Unlike other “sin taxes,” like those on tobacco, alcohol and, in the near future, possibly soda, which act to discourage destructive behavior, casino taxes are collected with the government’s encouragement, through partnership and advertising.

[Turbineguy]

1. Unfortunately

there is a certain moral justice in governement subsisting on the proceeds of vice.

[Junkdrawer]

2. My boy did a paper on this as his big HS theme....

Balancing budgets by encouraging and exploiting people's addictions.

Reprehensible.

[raccoon]

9. Good for him--that's why I'm against state lotteries. nt

[cali]

3. what a terrible article. I really despise dishonest journalism and

I don't give a flying fuck if it's from the MSM or alt media or the wingnut right- well actually, I'm less tolerant of it from the alt left media because I expect better.

First of all, nowhere in the article is there a mention of Native American casinos. At least half of the casinos in this country are Native American.

Secondly, their sob story for the article is a lawyer who drained client accounts to continue her gambling. Just as drugs don't excuse someone committing a crime, neither does gambling.

[beemer27]

4. The Answer

The best answer to the problem of casinos and gambling is- stop going to them. If you don't approve of them, don't use them. It really can't get too much simpler. If people don't go, there will be no profit. With no profit, they will close by themselves.

[Heather MC]

8. The Blame game gets on my nerves

People who like to Gamble. Will find a place to Gamble. I know lots of people who travel from my state to NJ, West VA, and Vegas, just to gamble.

If that's something someone wants to do with their money they will do it

[hfojvt]

16. not really

obviously if you have a liquor store two blocks away then it is easier to get liquor than if the store is fifteen miles away.

Then too, having one nearby, rather than in Vegas, means that the local one will advertise locally, and it means, perhaps, that your friends and neighbors will go to it, and talk about it, and thus encourage other people to go to it. Heck, around here they have casino tables set up at the local graduation parties. Teach people to play and gamble upon graduation. And is there no difference between a Governor who discourages gambling and one who encourages it? Will that have no impact?

[freedom fighter jh]

10. Lots of us can't stop going

because we don't go in the first place.

But we may still want a way to protest our state governments promoting these operations in our names.

[cali]

12. Most casinos in this country are owned by Native American tribes.

[freedom fighter jh]

13. I was referring to the article . . .

. . . which talks about how states promote casinos.

[NewJeffCT]

5. The two big casinos in Connecticut have been struggling

over the last 5 years of the financial crisis. (Foxwoods - the world's largest casino for nearly a decade - and Mohegan Sun) Now, with casinos potentially opening in Mass, NY and elsewhere, it may get even worse for them.

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. If they want to administer the Kiss of Death, appoint T.Rump as National Gambling Czar.

So far as I know, The Donald is the only person to ever go bankrupt owning a casino.

If they want so speed up the process, have him do two shows a night at Circus Circus.

[Android3.14]

7. Whoopety-effin-doo

I hear they tax restaurants too, and some people are obese. The horror!
I hear they tax bars and there are apparently a few people who spend a lot of time at those places too..
I'm just glad that the OP has found such an important issue that we should drop whatever we are doing on Mother's Day in order to start ringing our hands.
I'm big on hand-ringing.

[Lobo27]

11. Well, the Bingo that is a few blocks from where I live.

Use to have four sessions, and now they buildings next to them. And now have eight sessions a day. Guy says business is booming. Always a packed house. Not necessarily a casino, but its crazy that in hard times his business is booming.

[hfojvt]

14. in my state it seems like it is the Democrats who are doing so

that was one of the big things in 2006 when Kathleen Sebelius ran for re-election. Her main campaign point was the casino's she was gonna bring to Eastern Kansas.

Of course, states NEED revenue from gambling - lottery tickets and casinos, because they keep giving tax cuts to the rich.

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. There is a negative correlation between employment and gambling establishments

Remember this from when I was taking my Masters. The higher unemployment (and SNAP usage), the more people to go the casinos and play games like the lottery. Part out of boredom and part out of wishful thinking.

[LuvNewcastle]

17. When casinos first came to this area, a lot of

local people got hooked on gambling. I knew plenty of people who lost their savings. I worked in the casino business for over 10 years, and I saw friends come in when they got paid and lose everything in a couple of hours. There are still addicts around here, but I think most of the locals have gotten over the novelty. After all,we've had casinos here for over 20 years now. They depend on tourists to keep them afloat, but the number of tourists is shrinking due to the fact that gambling is spreading like wildfire across the country. People are able to find casinos closer and closer to where they live, so they're not as willing to travel long distances to lose a few hundred dollars. I think that eventually casinos will be so ubiquitous they'll be thought of the same as bingo halls. The excitement will wear off, and people will look for other ways to throw their money away.