United Press International, quoting an extensive story on the front page of today’s Boston Globe, summarizes the reality behind Tim Cahill’s — and, it must be admitted, the governor’s — illusion that slot machines (whether in parlors or casinos) are an innocent form of fun.
Massachusetts considers video slot parlors
BOSTON, March 7 (UPI) — Critics opposed to state-sanctioned gambling in Massachusetts say modern video slot machines are as addictive as crack cocaine.
Vido slot machines, with slick sound-and-light effects, let players win or lose a game much more quickly than the old one-armed bandits with spinning fruit and numbers, The Boston Globe reported Saturday.
The effect on the brain is the equivalent of an intravenous drip of an intoxicating drug, said Bob Breen, director of a hospital gambling treatment program. The machines are so addictive some players have been known to wear adult diapers so they can play without taking bathroom breaks.
Gambling in general causes the brain to release dopamine, a chemical that spurs the desire to repeat a pleasurable behavior.
State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill wants to license three slot parlors in Massachusetts. The gaming industry, in support of the plan, has said widespread use of video slots in other states has not led to increased addiction problems.
Of course, the final sentence should be fully trusted, since it is from the gam(bl)ing industry and since it ignores the simple math that if even if the percentage stays the same (3-5%) the absolute number skyrockets (in Massachusetts it could be as many as 300,000 people or more than twice the adult population of Worcester).
They must think we are stupid! Oh wait … they do!
The people of Massachusetts are waking up to what a raw deal this is. Unfortunately our legislators are still breathing the same pro-slots air in the statehouse, so now would be a good time to call the governor, your Senator, and your rep to put a stop to this nonsense.
especially since government numbers indicate that the rate of “problem gamblers” within 50 miles of a casino.
but mostly out of NIMBY reasons. This is the same old song and dance people have been playing for decades. That SCHIP extension that you guys wer ga-ga over was funded on the backs of people were are addicted to a dangerous drug. Why should this be any different? If you’re going to be against this because its a social evil, then you should at least have some consistency.
Slots and a private lottery. What a pathway to growth that agenda offers. Really stimulating. Great ways to produce good jobs and a better future for our State.
<
p>I know as Treasurer he doesn’t really have much else he runs but the lottery but what else does he really care about. It just smacks of the basest form of political expedience. Here is the story: no one likes taxes and only people who don’t vote much play the lottery so if we sell it to some private equity guys and they do everything possible to squeeze more dough from poor folks and then pay the state so it can pay off cities and towns its a political win-win. That’s crap.
<
p>Why does Cahill think selling off the lottery will be so lucrative? I imagine the idea is that a private entity would run it better and more profitably than he does so why not let em have a crack and take a big one time payoff for the state in the process.
<
p>I’m not against privatization when I really think the private sector can do it better. But you’d think the lottery – as a complete state monopoly would be about as profitable as it could be already. Correct me if I’m wrong but its not rocket science running that thing is it.