In the summer of 2010, one the world’s leading online predatory gambling companies, PokerStars, refunded $2.1 million to its customers after discovering cheaters colluded to rig games. In another incident, PokerStars paid out another $80,000 to players who had unwittingly been up against poker “bots” – automatic card playing software. These bots are causing people to lose even more money than normal. Click on this link to the story and the podcast from BBC Radio 5. You will need to scroll halfway down the page to obtain the podcast.
Form of Government-Sanctioned Gambling
New York’s Latest Way of Enticing its Citizens to Lose Money
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.”
Looking Back, Lost Bid to Host a Casino “a blessing”
The English seaside resort town of Blackpool was relieved when it lost a bid to host a “super casino.” Blackpool will now focus its efforts on maintaining its family friendly reputation.
North Carolina Lottery Violates its Own State’s Lottery Advertising Laws
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.
Corruption at Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
In a scathing 102-page report, a state grand jury in May 2011 slammed the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as a patronage-filled, secretive agency that failed to safeguard the public by inadequately investigating casino operators and vendors, and succumbing to political pressure.
Sweepstakes Cafes Popping Up in North Carolina’s Low-Income Neighborhoods
This February 2010 article from North Carolina’s Independent Weekly highlights the fact that sweepstakes cafes are flourishing in the state – particularly in low-income and minority neighborhoods.
The Lottery: A New England Horror Story
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.
Taylor Branch Speech at the Stop Predatory Gambling National Convention
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.
Sleep-Deprived Citizens Are a Lucrative Profit Center for Gambling Operators
In this study, researchers at Duke University Medical School found that sleep-deprived individuals tended to make choices that emphasized monetary gain and were less likely to make choices that reduced financial loss. Sleep deprivation can also change the way the brain assesses economic value. Finally, the study also demonstrates that sleep deprivation increases sensitivity to positive rewards while diminishing sensitivity to negative consequences.
Sleep Deprivation Biases the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Economic Preferences
The Ugly Carpets Inside Casinos are Hideously Clever Social Engineering at Work
This article from Gizmodo.com discusses the interesting designs of casino carpets and how they may be designed to be purposely distracting to keep people gambling. Others believe they are deliberately designed “to obscure and camouflage gambling chips that have fallen onto the floor. The casinos sweep up a huge number of these every night. So the carpets are just another source of revenue.”
The Ugly Carpets of Vegas are Hideously Clever Social Engineering at Work