De Beque urged to consider social woes created by casinos

De Beque urged to consider social woes created by casinos

While I can appreciate the desire of the citizens of De Beque to find a way to rescue their city from its economic difficulties, I hope they will investigate the experience of other cities that tried to solve their problems by inviting in casino gambling.

Among many books about this issue, the best I have found is Addiction by Design by Natasha Schull.

Also, innumerable Internet sites describe the plight of cities across our nation that have opened their doors to casinos. These sites include:

7 News - Gambling epidemic on the way – You Tube
Slot Machines: The Big Gamble – You Tube
Casino Free Philadelphia
How Casinos lead people into life-changing debt
Gambling Statistics – You Tube
11-19-13 – Gambling Statistics – You Tube

The last site listed is especially pertinent from a Colorado perspective. This site is a presentation by a county sheriff in Florida, Sheriff David Morgan. Morgan is appealing to his state not to fall into the trap of other states in opening the door to casinos. He states that the number of police calls in Blackhawk, Colo., increased from 25 per year before casinos to from 15,000 to 20,000 per year in the years after their introduction in neighboring Central City. The number of arrests increased by 275 percent in the year after casinos arrived.

He says that in Cripple Creek serious crimes increased by 287 percent in the first three years after casinos came to town. He also says that Nevada ranked highest in crime rates among the 50 states in two recent years based on an analysis by the FBI. He gives comparable statistics for Minnesota, Mississippi, Atlantic City and San Jose, Calif.

He quotes the result of a survey of 400 members of Gamblers Anonymous in which 57 percent admitted to stealing in order to maintain their gambling addiction, and the average amount stolen was $130,000.

He says that the social costs to communities — increased police and jail, physician and hospitals, courts, etc. — end up costing most cities far more than they gain. The American Psychiatric Association describes “disordered gambling” as associated with job loss, debt, bankruptcy, divorce, poor health, incarceration and the highest rate of suicide attempts (20 percent) among all addictions.

Up to 60 percent of all gambling revenue derives from “problem gambling,” and it has been proved that the introduction of a casino into a community greatly escalates the number of people who become addicted to gambling.

A retired pastor, I have counseled a great number of people with addiction problems. I can tell you from personal experience that gambling addiction is a life-destroying and family-destroying problem.

It is my sincere plea that the good folks in De Beque explore this matter deeply before pursuing a casino as the solution to their problem.

GLENN BROWN
Grand Junction

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/email-letters-march-18-2014