New Hampshire, Gambling Is Not The Answer

As New Hampshire continues to spend itself into bankruptcy, there are those that believe the answer to our financial woes rest in the false promise of gambling. Gambling is nothing more than gasoline to be thrown on the fire of irresponsible spending; and who are the willing pyromaniacs fiddling as Concord burns? Our representatives in Concord, and in particular the Democratic leadership of Norelli, Larsen, Hassen, and Governor Lynch.

It does not matter at this point whether any politician in Concord supports gambling or not. The real issues is that their lack of fiscal discipline has set New Hampshire on the road to economic ruin, which in turn has opened the door to the false salvation of another government sanctioned ponzi-scheme in the form of expanded gambling. Gambling does nothing more than encourage our commonsensical challenged representatives to add another link to the chain of debt we have placed around the necks of future generations.

The facts are simple:

Compulsive gamblers will increase by 100% to 500%, when gambling is introduced (Kindt, University of Illinois).

Casinos earn more than ½ their incomes from problem/pathologic gamblers (Grinols, University of Illinois).

The crime rate is nearly double for those communities that allow gambling (US News and World Reports analysis).

The promise of tourism dollars is greatly overstated. Most of the money made by those businesses that offer gambling comes almost entirely from in-State residents (Better Government survey in States that sponsor legalized gambling).

Gambling is nothing more than a regressive form of taxation. The poor always lose the greatest share of their income (Wisconsin Policy Research Institute report). In fact, casino gambling causes up to $289 in social costs for every $46 of economic benefit. (Grinols, University of Illinois).

Bankruptcy dramatically increase wherever gambling has been introduced: 1,000 Minnesotans annually file for bankruptcy since the introduction of riverboat gambling; gambling related bankruptcy has increase 40% in Detroit since the opening of a neighboring casino.
Each problem gambler cost society an estimated $15,000 to $60,000 per year (Goodman and Robert, Free Press). It has been calculated that for every $1 the State receives in gambling revenue, they will spend at least $3 in increased criminal-justice, social-welfare, and other related expenses (US House of Representatives on Small Business testimony).

The lure of big money is not just limited to the poor and the pathological. Corruption amongst government officials will increase as it did in Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Arizona, as well as others States that legalized some form of expanded gambling. Dozens of officials were arrested and convicted in each of those States on gambling induced corruption (The National Gambling Impact and Policy Commission, US House of Representatives).

In fact the gambling lobby has become the single most powerful lobby in States that have legalized gambling (Goodman, US Gambling Study)

Study after study tells us that the social costs of gambling, such as increased crime, lost work time, bankruptcies and financial hardships faced by the families are costing the American economy as much as $54 billion annually. Is this what is in the best interest of New Hampshire? The solution to our fiscal crisis is right in front of our representative’s faces? They must do what thousands of our fellow New Hampshirites do every day…….live within our means? It’s the spending stupid, and no amount of gambling will help.

The morality of gambling is a debate we can have on another day; but the immorality of excessive spending is one we must confront today.

Jeff Chidester, is the host of the weekly radio show which can be heard every Sunday at 11:00am on 96.7 – the WAVE (www.967thewave.com)