Reporting Honestly

My personal confession is having the utmost respect and admiration for 'Gambling Addicts' who speak out publicly, share their experiences so others may learn and have written about their Gambling Addiction.

They're heroes who voices are drowned by $$$, advertising, short-sighted politicians blinded by ego-stroking Gambling Lobbyists, political hacks.

It is difficult to imagine the personal pain involved in coming to terms with an addiction that too many dismiss as personal weakness causing shame and embarrassment preventing many from coming forward.

Far too many Expendable Citizens consider SUICIDE in the attempt by blinded legislators to suck the last dollars from those least able to afford it.

Far too many are successful.

One such hero is Professor Adell who has written a book Confessions of a Slot Queen and continues to write a blog [linked below and to the right].   

Sandra Adell wrote about her
experiences with slot machine
gambling.

New post on A Black Woman's Reflections on Casino Gambling

512 by Sandy Adell It takes courage to report honestly about gambling, considering how it has penetrated just about every nook and cranny of our society and is backed by many of our public officials and is perfectly legal. That there are victims is apparently of little or no importance to the people who keep telling us that the revenue from gambling is a big boost to our economy. After all, we might get a bit of a break on our property taxes, that is, if we own any property. I think my tax break was about $300 last year, hardly enough to account for all the suffering this unrestrained gambling is bringing to people everywhere. That’s why I’m so grateful to Harry Esteve, a senior political reporter for the Oregonian, for his excellent series of articles on the lottery and slot machine gambling in Oregon. I hope that our elected officials will take the time to read and maybe, just maybe, think twice before they approve more licenses for slot machines and casinos in an already over-saturated gambling market. Sandra Adell, Author, CONFESSIONS OF A SLOT MACHINE QUEEN: A MEMOIR

http://saadell.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/512/


The great series of articles linked above:

Oregon Lottery: Readers guide to the series on problem gambling




Senior Political reporter Harry Esteve on the Oregon Lottery
Harry Esteve, senior political reporter with The Oregonian, talks about his project on the Oregon Lottery.

 

By The OregonianThe Oregonian
on November 28, 2013

Read The Oregonian's continuing series about the Oregon Lottery and how it disproportionately leans on problem gamblers to keep its revenues flowing.

Day 1:
» Agency pushes slot machines as problem gamblers pay the price
» Games, like tobacco earlier, could face liability lawsuits
» Revenues grow on the increase in video slots games
» Reader stories of state-sponsored addiction (day 1)
Day 2:
» Slot machines call to gamblers across the state
» Richard's Deli offers slots and 'microwave only' menu
» Brewpubs bow out of the video-gambling business
» Reader stories of state-sponsored addiction (day 2)
Day 3:
» Gamblers hooked on slot machines leave a trail of debt, divorce and despair
» Are you a problem gambler? (definitions and resources)
» Reader stories of state-sponsored addiction (day 3)
Day 4:
» Lawmakers, counting on the cash, resist reforms
» Lawmakers begin work on responsible-gambling plan
» Reader stories of state-sponsored addiction (day 4)
Day 5:
» The Internet takes gambling into living rooms
» Reader stories of state-sponsored addiction (day 5)
Reader stories:

» Readers share their stories of state-sponsored addiction. Tell us your stories.
Polls:

» Should Oregon phase out video lottery machines or should the Oregon Lottery go ahead with plans to replace them with new ones?
» Are there too many places to gamble in Oregon, not enough or is it fine the way it is?
» If there were a ballot measure to abolish state-owned video slot and poker machines in Oregon, how would you vote?
» If Oregon offered online gambling, such as poker, slots or blackjack, would you play?
Interactive maps:

» Where can you find Oregon Lottery's video gambling machines and how much money do each of the shops offering the machines make in sales? Add your address and find out.
» Lotteries in America. See which states offer lottery games and how much their state revenues are.



http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/11/oregon_lottery_readers_guide_t.html