Casino doesn't show flip side of coin

Letter: Casino doesn't show flip side of coin

Jan. 24, 2014

The Firekeeper’s Casino is proud to brag about the positive impact it has had on the community. It has provided many full and part-time jobs as well as funding to local schools … blah, blah, blah.

However, what is less known is the negative impact the casino’s presence has had on the well-being of families due to the struggle with a family member’s gambling addiction.

Where are the statistics for the increase in gambling addiction in our community? I have witnessed the destruction of this addiction first hand. I watched my grandmother transform from a proud, confident person who was always there for me into a desperate, empty shell.

It is a family joke that we know where we can find her when she is not at home or answering her phone; a joke, in which no one is laughing. Family members have turned away from her one by one, tired of the arguments about overdrawn bank accounts, maxed out credit cards, and unpaid bills.

Friends and neighbors have turned away from her as well, all tired of the inevitable begging for money to pay a bill or to go “one last time” as the big hit is just one pull of the slot machine away.

The casino is quick to advertise the exuberant person who just won $20,000! But where is the advertisement with the desperate face of the gambling addict who just lost their last penny?

Katie Wade
Battle Creek



http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20140125/OPINION03/301250002/Letter-Casino-doesn-t-show-flip-side-coin?nclick_check=1

Gambling addict hopes to inspire others to seek help

Gambling addict hopes to inspire others to seek help
Written by Andy Fitzpatrick
The Enquirer

The subject of gambling addiction will feature one substance abuse counselor and others hoping those in the area who need treatment will seek it out.

Don Horner, a licensed psychologist with Psychological Consultants of Michigan, said Tuesday the visit from recovering gambling addict Peter Harrington will benefit others by allowing them to hear another's story of struggle.

Harrington, a former lawyer who is active in 12-step recovery programs for gambling addiction, will speak at the Alano Club of Battle Creek, 1125 W. Territorial Rd., Battle Creek, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

"The line is, 'We're as sick as our secrets,'" Horner said.

Hearing someone else talk about what a gambling addict struggles with, he said, can be enough to spur them to get help.

Roy Tooke, president of the Alano Club Board of Directors, said Tuesday there is a need for a Gamblers Anonymous group in Battle Creek, but there's been difficulty starting one.

"It's not that there aren't people to do it," he said. "It just appears to me that they just don't stay clean long enough to actually lead it."

The premise of a treatment group, he said, relies on someone with the actual problem leading the group.

"I don't have that problem; I can't start that group," he said.

Horner had a list of 20 questions people concerned about gambling addiction should ask themselves. The list was provided by Gamblers Anonymous. Horner requires anyone he counsels on gambling addiction to attend G.A. meetings.

"Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?" and "Have you ever gambled to escape worry, trouble, boredom or loneliness?" are just two of the questions.

Horner said anyone asking themselves these questions should seek help if they answer "yes" to just seven of them.

Gamblers in the area have plenty of opportunities to indulge themselves. State lottery tickets are found in most convenience stores. FireKeepers Casino is near Battle Creek, and Mount Pleasant, Detroit and Wayland all have their own gaming establishments.


Even the workplace is a potential location for gambling.

"Nobody complains if it's an office pool," Horner said. "They would if you brought in something to drink, but somehow it's OK to have a little office pool betting on when somebody's going to have a baby."

The Internet is also a source of gambling, and is particularly worrisome for those with an addiction, according to Tooke. That's because it can be done at home with nothing more than an

Internet connection and a credit card.

Still, he said, people shouldn't pick out one form of gambling to demonize and Horner added that casinos are more likely to draw in people already addicted, rather than create new addicts.

"I go to the casino," Tooke said, referring to FireKeepers. "I may go out there five or six times a year. I enjoy the casino being in the community."

FireKeepers spokesman Mike Facenda told the Enquirer in 2010 that the casino has a self-eviction program in place, allowing people who believe they have a gambling problem to effectively ban themselves from the casino. FireKeepers is also associated with the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling.

According to a 2006 study conducted by the Michigan Department of Community Health, the most common form of gambling was lottery, at 50 percent. It was followed by casinos at 34 percent, charitable events at about 25 percent and office pools at about 24 percent.

Slot Barns: Declining Revenues

Atlantic City Casino Gambling Fell 12% in October


NEW YORK (TheStreet) - Casino stocks are in the red on downgrades and a weak recovery in the Las Vegas locals market.

Las Vegas Sands(LVS) is falling 4.3%...

But the recovery in the Las Vegas locals market remains non-existent, as gaming revenue slipped 0.3%...Boyd Gaming, which operates a large chunk of its casinos in the locals market, are tumbling 4%...
Slot machine maker International Game Technologies (IGT) is dropping 2.9%...after reporting fourth-quarter results that missed estimates and issued a disappointing outlook.


MTR Gaming Group Inc. is reporting a $1.5 million profit for the quarter ending Sept. 30, even though revenues fell at its flagship West Virginia property.

MTR owns and operates Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pa., and Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.


CHESTER, W.Va., Nov 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MTR Gaming Group, Inc.

Net revenues at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort decreased 13%...

Current period costs included severance charges of $1.3 million, while the prior-year period included costs of $3.7 million associated with lobbying and gaming efforts in Ohio.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, MTR's total net revenues decreased 6%...

The loss from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 included incremental interest expense of $9.4 million,... incurred as a result of the issuance of the Company's $260 million senior notes in the third quarter of 2009. The income from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 included a pre-tax loss of $2.8 million,... associated with the refinancing of debt. The net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 was $2.3 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared to net income of $1.7 million ... for the same period of 2009. Prior-year results included income of $1.4 million... from discontinued operations.

Full House Resorts reports profit down from last year

Full House is a partner in a casino called FireKeepers in Michigan, the Stockman's casino in Fallon and at the Harrington Raceway in Delaware.

During the third quarter, Full House acquired the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort in Rising Sun, Ind., for about $43 million. The deal was expected to close during the first quarter of 2011.


SugarHouse Slot Barn Revenue: downward trend

Another Dirty Little Secret: Slot Barns conceal crimes

Although the item below pertains to FireKeepers' Slot Barn concealment of a crime on their property, a woman came up to me and recounted an incident of sexual assault for which Slot Barn management refused to call police. When local police responded to her call, they refused to take a report.

The known crime wave that accompanies Slot Barns appears to be grossly under-reported to protect the Industry.

As with the tragic death of Sherrice Iverson at Primmadonna or the many cases effecting children and animals, Slot Barns protect their profits and their money, not patrons.

The shining lights and glitter conceal the dangers.

Casino dangers

I have waited a full year to write this to see if anyone else has reported a problem with FireKeepers Casino. Apparently the casino still hides the truth about crimes committed on and in the casino.

In September 2009, my wife and her 85-year-old father left the casino about 1:30 a.m. Before they could even close the car doors, an armed convict on parole jumped into the back seat of their car. The convict told them to give him all of their money or he would kill them. He stated that he was on parole and had nothing to lose. After they convinced him that they were leaving because they didn't have any money left, he left the car, took someone's motorcycle and fled the area.
My wife called 911 and reported the incident. She got a very good description of the man and he was caught a few miles away.
The casino did not want the incident reported to the paper as with other crimes committed there.
To placate my wife and her father, they were each given $25 to use at the casino!
The perpetrator was given 26 months to seven years for attempted armed robbery! Our county prosecutor fell asleep on this sentence. What happened to the automatic two to five years for using a gun in the commission of a crime? And the automatic two to five years for a felon using a weapon?
If you visit the casino, take care. If you have won any money, get security to walk you to your car. Or better yet, use the valet service and have your car brought to you.
A big atta-boy to Officer Pat Johnson of Emmett Township Public Safety department for his quick work in bringing down the suspect so quickly. I've been a police officer for over 30 years and seldom catch the offender that soon after the crime. And a big thorn bush to our prosecutor for not doing her job to keep felons off the street. As a police officer, I would be remiss in not alerting the public about the danger you may face while trying to have fun by giving the casino your money. Be aware, be safe!
Don Johnson
Homer