Casino Opponents Continue to Resort to Scare Tactics
Anti-gambling groups have been known to utter some fairly irresponsible and unfounded statements to rally their troops, and the Massachusetts lobby is trying for new heights. Richard Young, the president of Casino Free Mass, was quoted by the Boston Herald as saying slot machines are the equivalent of heroin.The number of scientific citations and studies referred by Young to back his statement came to exactly zero. While disputing the claims of surveys and studies issued by gaming companies, Young produced nothing more than inflamed rhetoric to back his dubious statements.
Young told state legislators they need to scrutinize the "insidious design, technology and marketing of slot machines." Apparently Young thinks slots are marketed with designs of increasing sales and manipulating consumers, unlike such all-American products as Happy Meals at McDonald's, complete with the latest Disney figures.
Chelsea city manager Jay Ash, speaking for the resurgent casino coalition in the state, said, 'Casino opponents are afraid of a fair hearing for casinos among legislators. There has been a renewed discussion about the merits of gambling and they’re tossing lots of misinformation around to see what will stick.”
The heroin comparison may backfire on anti-casino forces, as Massachusetts voters see through the unsupported zealotry and cast ballots for casino jobs and gambling revenue at their first opportunity.
Recent Comments
| Posted by: Doug | When: 02/10/2009 12:26:51 PM EST |
| There are plenty of credible studies on the effects of slot machines and how they're designed so they are "played to exhaustion," or until a player has no more money. I don't think McDonald's does that. Also Ronald McDonald eats the food he serves, unlike the gambling operators who seldom use the products they own and promote. Furthermore, McDonald's doesn't put a lein on someone's house if they eat too much at one of their restaurants. Drug dealers might, and worse. | |
| Posted by: James | When: 02/10/2009 12:34:36 PM EST |
| "Also Ronald McDonald eats the food he serves" ??? lol, are you kidding??? Ronald McDonald wouldn't touch the food he promotes with a ten foot poll. | |
