A 2010 article from the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada details the evidence linking gambling addiction to negative socio-economic consequences for Canadian families as the government attempts to “chase after increasing revenue.”
Government Gambling and Broken Families: How Problem Gambling Affects Families
Using data acquired from the Florida Lottery Commission, Florida scholars assessed what groups were benefiting from the lottery-funded Florida Bright Futures Scholarships and who were being harmed. Not surprisingly, the study reported that the “net benefits of the scholarships accrue disproportionately to counties with heavier concentrations of white, wealthy, and well-educated households.” The study concluded by stating: “If the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships are going to be made more equitable, the citizens who are harmed — the poor, the less-educated, and minorities, as well as citizens who care about fairness — need to get involved.”
The second study below uses survey data and finds similar results.
In March 2011, West Virginia’s State Legislature voted on a bill that will use $10 million from an existing lottery to fund the state’s racinos for 10 years. Del. Mitch Carmichael, of Jackson, called the bill “the most ‘ridiculous’ he’s seen in several years.”
“Why should we single out a particular industry, the gaming industry and the Greenbrier Hotel, to give them special $10 million giveaways from the people of West Virginia,” Carmichael asked. “I just think it sets the wrong priorities.”
West Virginia Legislature Votes to Fund Racinos with Public Money
Should our democratic institutions be competing with organized crime for revenue? Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Monica Yant Kinney discovers an important distinction between illegal underground gambling and government-sponsored predatory gambling: “Bookies don’t prey on gamblers. Bookies don’t solicit. Gamblers find them.”
This lies in stark contrast to state governments using taxpayer money to solicit our fellow citizens to play the lottery and providing tax incentives to allow casinos to come to town.
West Virginia recently released some jaw-dropping data about the impact of the failed government policy of predatory gambling in that state. Among the findings was that in one county, one out of every 87 residents has called the 24-hour problem gambling hotline seeking help for themselves or a loved one. What is even more troubling about that finding is only about 10% of problem gamblers seek help at all. That means 90% of the problem gamblers in the county have not called the hotline.
Hitting Rock Bottom – Ohio County Leads State in Calls To Gambling Hotline
Despite stricter sanctions that have eliminated some of the criminal activities in Las Vegas, money laundering still persists. According to one IRS agent in Las Vegas: “In a currency intensive industry it’s virtually impossible to eliminate entry points for money laundering. We work hand-in-hand with the casinos.”
The latest ad campaign for the New York Lottery consists of the slogan: “Be Ready.” According the New York Times article below, the message of the campaign is that “anyone who plays the instant games…ought to be prepared to win immediately in a moment of instant gratification.”
When North Carolina introduced the lottery in 2005, it put in a measure that officials thought would prevent it from exploiting people with gambling addiction. A law was passed forbidding the the agency to advertise the lottery in a way that would entice people to play. However, the North Carolina Lottery has disregarded this law.
In this 1990 article from New England Monthly, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor Branch gives an overview of the development of state lotteries in New England and the danger this poses to our democracy.
This is a video featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor Branch at Stop Predatory Gambling’s 2008 National Convention in Washington, D.C. He begins to specifically address the issue of government-sanctioned predatory gambling after the 6:00 mark. Daniel Hunter of Casino Free Philadelphia was invited to introduce Branch.