Gambling is no 'free lunch'
Bill Kearney, author of the book “Comped”, a fictional story based on his real life experiences in North American casinos wrote this article for the Philadephia Daily News. It presents another angle on why everything has its costs and consequences when it comes to gambling.
Too often people don't realise the true costs of gambling. Its true – there is no such thing as a free lunch.
PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
Posted on Tue, Dec. 21, 2004
Gambling's 'free lunch' can be mighty expensive
By BILL KEARNEY
IF I WERE to ask you what's the gaming capital of the world, the odds would be in favor of you answering Las Vegas.Close, but no cigar.Here's the bottom line from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission:In 2003, Las Vegas had 36 million visitors, while Atlantic City had 32 million. But Las Vegas casino winnings were just $4.3 billion, while Atlantic City's was actually $4.5 billion.Although Las Vegas' non-casino revenue was $5.6 billion, Atlantic City's was a mere $400 million - but let's not forget that Atlantic City has only 12 casinos.And one other thing that contributed to Las Vegas' big lead in that last category - more than 75 percent of the visitors to Las Vegas fly in from all over the country and stay an average of three to four days.That's nice for the town's economy but not much time to pick up the habit, not like those visitors to Atlantic City who are within a tank-of-gas drive. It's an old story, location, location, location, or should I say, if you build them, they will come.Now that you know why Atlantic City is the gambling capital of the world, I know you're intelligent enough to figure out that it's not just the location that makes the same people go back week after week.So what is it then, surely not the entertainment, restaurants or hotel rooms, if they're only bringing in a modest $400 million? No, it can only be the comps, free booze, credit - and 24/7 gambling, along with the other items that the casinos throughout the country have learned how to use to seduce their prey.
Just the other day I got into a heated conversation with a crew of seniors from my gym.The topic was casino gambling. They said they frequent the casinos of Atlantic City and thought it's a good idea that it is being legalized here in Pennsylvania. One after another, they filled me in on all the benefits, from property tax cuts, less gas for for all those trips they won't have to make down to the shore and less wear and tear on their automobiles, all the way down to the toll money they'll save.When I brought up the increase of gambling addiction that leads to embezzlement, bankruptcies, family problems, domestic violence and other social ills, one of the seniors stood up, looked me in the eye and hit me with a historic line from their great generation."Don't give me that addiction crap," he said. "Your generation's always passing the buck, looking for excuses. If only you learned there's no free lunch in this world."As I stood there, stifled, I picture him and his crew waiting like cattle in front of the trough with their comp slips in hand at the brand-new casino buffet that's coming here.
Bill Kearney is the author of "Comped." E-mail ianscottpress@hotmail.com.
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