What is family destruction worth?

What's "Community" worth? How many pieces of gold to sell your soul? Just wondering.

Casinos, table games bring mixed results to Pa. communities

Negative impact of casino

While some businesses are benefitting from the increased traffic casinos are
drawing, casinos are taking businesses away from others.

Jeff Stewart, owner of Alden Manor in Nanticoke, about 14 miles away from
Mohegan Sun, said some customers are now eating more often at Mohegan Sun, where they could get free buffets when they earn enough points from the slot
machines.

[Don't worry, Jeff. It will get worse.]

Casinos also have led to other social problems.

The helpline for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania has
received 12,575 calls about gambling problems so far this year and 2,295 were
related to casinos. Of the calls, 642 have reported financial problems, 45 said
they have filed for bankruptcy, 354 reported having credit problems, 608 have
reported debts, 83 said they were divorced and 97 reported mental health
problems.

Dianne M. Berlin of Casino Free PA, a statewide coalition of people and
groups opposing casinos in Pennsylvania, said she believes casinos cause more
harm than good.

"Gambling does not create new wealth. They continue to extract money from
people without giving them any products or services in return like a regular
business," Berlin said. "When you legalize something this harmful, the
legislators knew this would create addicts."

Berlin said she believes casinos are leading to more bankruptcies and debts
as more people deplete their earnings, savings, retirement funds and their
children's college funds gambling. Offering free drinks is another way casinos
bring in more money, she added

"Alcohol most certainly affects judgment of people. Casinos operators know
that," Berlin said. "They know their judgement is impaired and under those
circumstances, the influence of alcohol keeps them gambling longer."

In Bucks County several instances were reported of parents leaving their
children in cars while they gambled at Parx Casino in Bensalem.

At a news conference Thursday in Bensalem, state Sen. Robert "Tommy"
Tomlinson, R-Bucks County, and state Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks County,
introduced legislation to crack down on adults who leave children unattended
while gambling. They said their measure, with a possible prison term of 3½ to
seven years and a fine of up to $15,000, is needed to serve as a deterrent for
gamblers who visit casinos and leave children behind in the parking lot.

Gambling into debt

A Swoyersville resident, who asked to remain anonymous, says she is still
struggling with debt from gambling at Mohegan Sun.

"As soon as I got a paycheck, I was at the casino," she said. "Even if I
didn't have a paycheck, I was putting it on a credit card."

She and a friend once went to a Gamblers Anonymous meeting, and when no one
else showed up, they went to Mohegan Sun instead.

"You think you're going to get ahead but you don't and you go the next day
to try to make it up and you find yourself further in the hole," she said. "It's
a cycle. It's just like being an alcoholic."

Her gambling problem led her to sign up for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control
Board's self-exclusion program, which allows a person to request to be banned
from all legalized gaming activities and to be prohibited from collecting
winnings, recovering losses or accepting free gifts.

Two years ago, she violated the program and state police charged her with
defiant trespass after she went to Mohegan Sun to play the slots. Now, she stays
away from the casino.

"I would rather keep my husband and my kids," she said. "He would try to get
me out of there. I was bouncing checks and I never did that before."

Statewide, a total of 1,639 people have signed
up for a self-exclusion program banning themselves from gambling
at Pennsylvania casinos, said Richard McGarvey, spokesman for the Pennsylvania
Gaming Control Board.

Casino officials say they take responsible gaming seriously. In addition to
participating in the self-exclusion program, responsible gaming brochures are
available throughout casinos. Tax dollars the casinos pay to the state helps
fund compulsive gambling programs. Outside of tax dollars, casinos contribute to
the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania each year.

In Massachusetts, the Self-Exclusion Amendment barely passed the House.

Representatives Canessa and Calter, who represent Middleboro both voted against that amendment and refused to explain why. Could it have been their reluctance to admit their ignorance of the issue or their willingness to genuflect to the House Speaker?

This year, operating casinos throughout the state are required by law to
contribute $2 million or 0.002 multiplied by their total gross
terminal revenue, whichever is greater, to the Compulsive and Problem Gambling
Treatment Fund, said Holli Senior, spokeswoman for the state health
department.

Gamblers who need help can call the Council on Compulsive Gambling of
Pennsylvania's helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.