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Casino Free Mass is a non-partisan, statewide coalition made up of a diverse group of citizens from all walks of life, from across the political spectrum and from all corners of the state who oppose legalizing gambling casinos in Massachusetts.
Why Legalizing Casinos is Not a Solution for Our State...
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, casinos are a bad idea. Bringing casinos to Massachusetts will hurt jobs, hurt families, and cause our taxes to rise without receiving better services in return. Specifically, some of the detrimental impacts of casino gambling include:
1) Change the Quality of Life in Our Communities.
2) Deepen Our State Budget Problems.
3) Dramatically Increase the Tax Burden on Non-Gamblers: "You Pay Even If You Don't Play".
4) Detract From Our State's Economy.
5) Turn the Myth That "Everyone is Gambling Already" into a Reality.
6) Push the State Well Beyond the Lottery Gambling Business.
7) Turn One Out of Every Twenty People into a Gambling Addict, Hurting Our State's Families.
Governor Patrick's casino plan is not in line with a "Wish for your neighbor what you wish for yourself" philosophy. His casino proposal plainly admits that 1 out of every 20 people (5%) would become a problem gambler as a result of this initiative.12 That's 250,000 people, not including the family members and friends of these addicts who will also experience the consequences.
Anyone comforted by the idea that casino gambling is voluntary should spend a day with the casino staffs that target people based on how fast they play a slot machine and track prospects' and players' observed worth, define their predicted value, and systematically maximize individual "share of wallet" through targeted and customized promotional messages, limited-time cash offers, and carefully tracked time-to-response and spending analysis. Unfortunately, while problem gamblers are very lucrative for the industry, their addiction leads to child neglect, crime, distressed families, suicide and bankruptcy.13 And, it is the non-gamblers who are left paying the tab for these costs through higher taxes.
"People in this country should build the future, not bet on it." - Ralph Nader
