Our omnipresent State Treasurer Steve Grossman today stopped by Fox25 News to get the word out that Massachusetts citizens will now have a new opportunity to wipe out their bank accounts quicker by gambling on the lottery using their personal debit cards! Just what we need for Christmas!
Please share widely!
…was specifically to require actual cash, and not allow cards. This is one of many examples of provisions that seemed designed to make me like casino legislation less.
The race to the bottom takes another lap! Data shows that in other states where there has been legalized slot/casino gambling, the original legislation is rarely intact. The industry and it’s political pimps always erase or erode any safeguards they can. Happy Hour for the Grossman!
The next step will doubtless be allowing welfare EBT cards to buy lottery tickets.
We’ll see legislation requiring that healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts cover lottery tickets.
Currently, at most of these lottery outlets, you can buy a pack of gum with a debit card and get $50 “cash back” and use that to buy lottery tickets.
Personally I have no issue with this because a debit card is supposed to be my cash, it is cash I have in my account and I should be able to use it where ever I can use cash (if they accept debit cards).
you see it in your hands and may spend it more wisely. It’s awfully easy to piss away money on a debit card with something like scratch tickets, especially if you’re a problem gambler. It’s not an unreasonable protection, even if it can be skirted around easy enough. Any extra steps are going to save some people some serious hard ache.
Also bear in mind that it’s not just ‘your’ money. Many married couples have joint accounts and the victims of problem gamblers extend way beyond just those with the problem.
Means of payment is immaterial to anyone with a gambling problem. Cash, debit cards, credit cards, hocking the silver…if there’s gambling, it’s going to be a problem.
Of course the enabling legislation is rarely kept intact. Gaming is meant to raise revenues. Why would Beacon Hill want to impede expansion of their shinny new revenue source?
You take out $500 that’s in your account to keep gambling.
You get the $500 and blow it.
You owe the bank $500, plus a $35 “overdraft charge”.