Frank Tate's blog : New York Casino Votes, Dancing with Temptation

Slot machines at a casino in Rhode Island.

In the 48 states that allow at least some form of commercial gambling, a lively debate continues over the casino industry's relentless expansion efforts. On Tuesday, New Yorkers will vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow up to seven new full-scale gambling casinos to be built in the state. (The five existing casinos are restricted to Indian reservations.)To stay informed on the latest updates and discussions surrounding this issue, check out this post on reputable news sources and gambling forums.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo claims the amendment will create jobs, increase school aid, and lower property taxes. And, yes, all of those things will happen. But it is still a bad idea. Without the disastrous spillover effects that come with expanded gambling, other strategies would accomplish the same goals more effectively.

The ostensible appeal of the amendment is its promise to relieve fiscal distress without new taxes. In the eyes of proponents, state revenues from gambling are a form of voluntary taxation. However, most of the revenue from modern casinos comes from slot machines, and the relationship between casinos and some of their patrons is only voluntary in the most superficial sense. Natasha Dow Shull's Addiction by Design (Princeton University Press, 2012), an account of slot machine gambling in Las Vegas, examines the technical virtuosity that underlies modern slots and their impact on players. According to the slot machine designers and casino operators surveyed in the book, the mission of these machines is simple: to provide a way for players to play slots without having to spend a lot of money.

The machines create such an engaging experience that some people stop playing only after exhausting all available resources. Ms. Schurr, a cultural anthropologist on the M.I.T. faculty, interviewed one slot player. He believes that winning is important because the machines are so immersive that winning is a distraction and allows him to play as long as possible." It's like being in the eye of the storm," the woman said, later adding, "It's like being in the eye of the storm.

Psychologists describe this state as flow. It is the feeling of being so absorbed in what you are doing that you are completely unaware of the passage of time. Artists, writers, and others who have achieved flow call it one of the most pleasurable psychological states, and it greatly enhances productivity. In hindsight, however, the flow experienced by at least some slot players is a state that leads to ruin.

Even if casino gambling were expanded, most New Yorkers would not be directly affected. Even where there are already casinos, only a small percentage will become problem gamblers. But the same can be said for crack cocaine. If it were legal, most people would not use it, much less become addicted. In either case, however, the number of people who become addicted would be alarming, albeit proportionally small. If the government should not raise revenue by sharing revenues with crack cocaine dealers, why should it enter into similar agreements with casino operators?

A 2004 study of legalized casino gambling in Ontario estimated that about one-third of casino revenues came from patrons with serious gambling addictions. Libertarians argue that if gamblers choose to freely squander their money, it is none of society's business. But addiction also harms innocents, makes marriages more fragile, and makes bankruptcy more likely. When these ripple effects are properly considered, it becomes clear that casino expansion is not only an inhumane policy, but one that could actually reduce state revenues.

Historically, society has sought to protect its most vulnerable members from dangerous temptations, including many forms of gambling and addictive drugs. Modest private gambling and soft drug use are seldom subject to these prohibitions. However, aggressive revenue sharing with casino operators crosses the line. It would be a state endorsement of a practice that ruins lives. The government has been reluctant to take such steps in the past.

As parents tell their children, the best way to get ahead is to get more education, work harder, and save for the future. But for years, New York State has encouraged its citizens to rely on luck and dream about what they would do if they won the lottery. A cleverly produced state-run television spot aired, "Take over the company and fire your boss."

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New York Needs More Revenue. While no one is happy about abstract tax increases, there are many things that should be taxed but aren't. For example, our buying heavier cars puts others in more danger. If cars were taxed by weight, there would be an incentive to consider that risk when making a purchase. Companies may emit pollution not because they want to ignore the environment, but because cleaner processes are more expensive. If pollution were taxed, companies would pollute less. Instead of promoting gambling, the governor should explain that even if tax revenues were not needed, we should tax activities that do more harm than good.

Politicians are naturally afraid of taking unpopular positions. But voters are sometimes generous to politicians. Cuomo may recall that his father, Mario M. Cuomo, repeatedly vetoed death penalty laws when he was governor in the 1980s and 1990s. Although the death penalty was very popular at the time, voters sensed that his vetoes came from his heartfelt convictions and quickly forgave him.

If the current Governor Cuomo advocates a more principled approach to generating new state revenue, voters may be equally forgiving. If voters reject an amendment that is sure to intentionally increase dependency ,besteonlinecasinoer.com will be inclined to do so.

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