Downsizing Casinos

From our friends in the Granite State:


U.S. Gambling Industry Going Rapidly Downscale

This Philadelphia Inquirer story about the Parx racetrack casino should be a huge wakeup call for those who think New Hampshire casinos will bring high rollers and big bucks into our economy.

Parx president Dave Jonas is surprised about the demographics of his gambling customers and how rapidly the gambling industry has downscaled. The typical Parx gambler is a low-roller who lives within 20 miles and drops $25 or $30 into the slots three or four times a week. Customers "come in, grab a hot dog or maybe a chicken sandwich," gamble three hours, "then go home and sleep in their own bed," says Jonas.

The dark side is that these local gamblers are spending more time in the casino than they are with their families and have made losing money in slot machines their primary non-work activity. Casinos can profit today only by sucking their working class customers deeper into debt and turning them into gambling addicts.

"Casinos like Parx only exist because government is a partner," says Les Bernal of Stop Predatory Gambling. "Any other business with such predatory practices would be shut down immediately. " New Hampshire will not strengthen our economy by weakening our citizens.