We live just a half hour from "Foxwoods" casino, and forty five minutes from "Mohegan Sun", both in Connecticut. We see a lot of heartache in this area, caused by gambling. People that have lost their homes and businesses. Total strangers have come to our church, asking for monetary help to pay their rent, or groceries, because they gambled away their paycheck.
The up side is, that the two casinos have created a lot of jobs, with benefits. This area USED to be based around the Defense industry, with the Navy having a very firm stronghold here. However, with base closings, and defense plants down-sizing, people have to work somewhere.
How do you feel about gambling? We personally don't gamble. We've only been to the casinos a couple times, and they were both to see shows. We feel that we work too hard for our money. Some people are OBSESSED with the place, especially SENIOR CITIZENS! Go figure.
We occasionally buy a PowerBall ticket, but we have as much chance as being hit with lightning. LOL DH would like to retire early, but we won't bank on it. LOL

By Bea on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 12:51 am:

People can become addicted to anything that stimulates the pleasure receptors in the brain. I guess if you have an addictive personality, and the set-up is right, you could become a compulsive gambler. I think seniors do it for the excitement. They have lost so many other parts of their lives that brought an edge to their days.

I have gambled on a very small scale...penny poker with family, raffles at church or club meetings, and quarter slots on cruises or gambling cities. I don't play the lottery, and I'm basically cheap, so I rarely lose very much.

I know people who have lost so much because of it. However I don't think we can legislate morality. I don't think we can bring back prohibition to prevent alcoholism any more that prohibiting gambling will stop people from ruining their lives with betting. They will find a way. Back ally crap games and running the numbers were around long before Atlantic City built casinos on the boardwalk.

By Feona on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 09:10 am:

Atlantic City is also very very poor and slummy. So I don't think it helped their economy.

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

By Karen~moderator on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 10:00 am:

There are quite a few casino boats in the New Orleans area, and Harrah's in downtown New Orleans. And then, of course, there's the Mississippi Gulf Coast where there are several, within a 90 minute drive from here.

I've only gone a handful of times. *If* I ever go, I have a $20 limit, once that's gone, I'm outta there. Once in a great while, it's a fun thing to do.

The thing that I find frightening and sad, is that there are ATM machines all over those places and you see people draining their bank accounts just waiting for that lucky break. The odds are against you, obviously; the casinos are a business just like any other, and they are in it to make money, not lose money.

I agree with what Bea said above. Gambling can become an addiction just like alcohol or drugs.

We buy Powerball tickets every week, but we just don't go to the casinos.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 10:58 am:

Oh Lord yes, gambling can be an addiction. I see the buses on streets in Philadelphia, offering people free rides and comps to go to the Atlantic City casinos. I have been hearing commercials on KYW recently saying there are two questions to ask if you think you (or someone else) has a gambling addiction - have you ever lied about your gambling (especially losses) to someone you care about, and if you gamble and lose do you gamble even more money in an attempt to get even.

My dad told stories of spending about two years motorcycling around the Midwest before he met my mom (in the early 1930's - depression time), making his living at card and dice games. He taught me how to play poker, but I was never interested in dice. One rule he had - if you are going to gamble, only gamble with money you are willing to throw out the window. I never forget that.

By Juli4 on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 11:40 am:

We have some gambling boats in Cincinnati, right across the river from where I live In Northern Kentucky. It seems that A lot of people I work with are obsessed with it. They go and stay until four in the morning and so forth. I would say that business wise it is good for the casinos, but not good for most of the people that go. Some people can go and have a nice time and spend $50 or less, but I would imagine most of the people that frequent the boat drop a lot of money. People have to be respojnsible for their decisions and actions though. It is unfortunate.

I have heard people suing the casinos saying that they kept letting someone in that they knew was addicted and it was the casinos fault, but that is like any other thing. You don't close down McDonalds because people can't control their food and you don't see Wal-Mart turning away compulsive spenders. I disagree you can legislate morality to a point. That is what our law is for. All our laws are in place because of moral reasons. Just my opinion.

By Bea on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 01:34 pm:

...and I state again that you can't legislate morality. Laws do not make a moral populace. Gambling was illegal, and still is in some places. People still gamble there. Drinking and driving is illegal. DWIs are pulled over daily in every city and town. JMHO

By Mommyathome on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 04:42 pm:

We recently spent a week in Vegas and I'm pround to say that though we stayed in a casino for the whole 7 days, I never even dropped a nickle! lol The fact that I always had my 5 yr old with me prevented it anyway. DH dropped 4 quarters one night and that's it.

I don't see a point in it. We go to a resort in Mesquite NV a few times a year which has several big casino/hotel/resort places. We each get $20 to spend. When it's gone it's gone. One time I won $45 in nickles and thought I was rich lol. But, it's all done in fun.

When people can't stop is when it becomes a problem. They think..if I just drop one more dollar, maybe I'll hit it big...and then it gets out of control.

I, too, am surprised at all the Senior Citizens that gamble.

By Juli4 on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 09:09 pm:

I didn't necessarliy say that laws made people automatically moral. I just said that laws are made for moral reasons. Like drinking and driving. The law is there for a moral reason. To protect lives. and it is wrong to take others lives. It doesn't mean people always obey them. But they do make laws for moral reasons. Stealing is wrong becuase taking others property is morally wrong. Murder is against the law becuase it is morally wrong. Speeding is illegal because it is immoral to harm other people whether in your car or someone elses.

Julie

By Jtw on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 04:35 pm:

We have a lot of casinos on Indian Reservations in MN. We only go occasionally just for a night out. I think it is okay if you go with a set limit, like ours is $20 each. I think if you go just to have fun, spend a few dollars, eat and maybe see a show that is fine, but many people don't know where to draw the line, or don't even realize that they are addicted. In South Dakota, where my bf is from, they have casinos all over! She said that many people in her family have gambling problems. I said NO DUH! All you have to do is walk across the street and you'll find one. Also, the casinos there are just for gambling. Here it is a huge complex with tons of resturants, a hotel, a stage, etc. There you just find a casino in the middle of a strip mall. It may be a good way for the state to earn additional revenue, but I think they should look at what it is doing for the individual. I don't think states should be promoting things that are bad for the livelihood of the citizens. JMO!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, September 1, 2003 - 01:32 am:

We live about an hour north and an hour south of two Indian casinos here in eastern WI. I have no desire to visit either place. The Indians tried to get some more casinos started, but all the communities said no.

Hubby buys the occasional lottery ticket, but usually only spends $1-2! He loves fantasizing about what he would do with the money. I'm the skeptic always telling him he's gotta win first! LOL!