BCT Editorial – 10/1/06

This page was last updated on October 1, 2006.

Hooked; Editorial; Beaver County Times; October 1, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“Addiction is terrible for individuals, whether it be to alcohol, drugs, tobacco or gambling.

“It’s just as bad for government, as Pennsylvania’s growing addiction to gambling shows.

“The Associated Press reports several gambling industry experts say the commonwealth’s plunge into legalized slot machines eventually could lead to more hardcore table games such as poker, blackjack and roulette wheels.

“One reason to expand gambling beyond slots would be the need for more revenue, they told The AP. There might be more projects to fund than slots revenue can provide.

“That’s not that far-fetched a scenario. Pennsylvania’s 61,000 slots are expected to bring in $3 billion in gambling revenue, $1 billion of which will go into the state’s coffers. But those estimates are exceedingly rosy, and the possibility exists that revenues will fall short. At that point, adding table games might be seen as the best way to hit revenue estimates.

“Another reason for expansion is competition for gamblers. As we have pointed out in previous editorials, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia aren’t going to sit back and watch Pennsylvania cut into their gambling revenues. In fact, West Virginia is kicking around the idea of adding table games to its slots, in large part in anticipation of Pennsylvania entering the fray.

“Let’s face it. Pennsylvania is hooked on gambling. Like any junkie, the need to feed its addiction will only grow with time.

“Even worse, it’s a habit the state will never be able to break.”

[RWC] Really, do Times editorial writers pay attention to current events at all? At least as far back as February 2005, State Reps. Bill DeWeese (D-50) and Mike Veon (D-14) issued a press release entitled “Expanded gaming focus of DeWeese/Veon bill.”