Stop Predatory Gambling

Why not really measure public opinion on predatory gambling?

by spgadmin

I wrote a brief post on a state blog yesterday which is relevant to every state debating predatory gambling. When the media polls the issue of predatory gambling, the polling question is nearly always oversimplified or mischaracterizes the position of opponents. It is in this spirit that I offer a few suggestions for polling questions that may better measure public attitudes and provide a better compass in determining the right direction for the state:

1) “According to a recent book by a Wall Street Journal reporter, 90% of the gambling profits come from 10% of the people who use the product. Do you support legalizing this business model that cannot survive without addicted or heavily-indebted citizens?”

2) “Promoted in the name of getting someone else to pay our taxes, predatory gambling is one of the key drivers in our debt culture. Do you support our government actively trying to convince citizens to lose their money instead of putting their money into wealth building tools?”

3) “There will always be a few unprincipled people in our society like Bernie Madoff who attempt to profit in “something for nothing” schemes, using financial gimmicks and predatory practices to create the lure of free money. Do you think our government should be among them?”

4) “Do you believe casino capitalism is the right direction for the state economy?”

5) “Do you think the State Lottery’s current business practices, including aggressively marketing $20 instant scratch tickets and Keno games that run every four minutes for more than 1500 games every week, are predatory?”

6) A respected MIT professor publicly revealed that electronic gambling machines operate “like loaded dice” and are carefully designed to be so effective at extracting money from people that “for all intents and purposes, approach every player as a potential addict.”  Do you support an intensive and open public investigation about the design, technology and marketing behind electronic gambling machines?”

7) “Do you think the way we raise money to pay for government says as much about our democratic principles and values as the way we spend it?”

I invite you to post any other questions you would like to see public opinion measured.