Rocket fuel for gambling addicts

The predatory gambling industry continues to dig its claws into our government — and deeper into your pockets. This time, they are seeking to promote addicts using credit to gamble on slot machines. We need your help so we can push back.

At this very moment, the gambling industry is lobbying hard for legislation in Harrisburg that would allow any casino in Pennsylvania to offer easy credit to anyone playing a slot machine.

Here's the scene: It's 3:00 AM and you've been drinking the free alcohol all night, you've lost all the money you brought, and you've maxed out your ATM card. No worries — if casino lobbyists have their way, the casinos will be able to offer you hundreds of dollars or more of quick and easy credit so you can play the slots until dawn.

The key to understanding the pernicious effect of slots on credit it to recognize that about 90% of the casinos' profits come from 10% of the gamblers. An easy credit line is rocket fuel for slot machine addicts, the lifeblood of this predatory industry.

And who is helping the gambling industry drive Philadelphians into debt?

The following three state senators from Philadelphia are co-sponsoring the bill that would allow slots on credit:

• Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione: (215) 533-0440
• Sen. Shirley M. Kitchen: (215) 227-6161
• Sen. Vincent J. Hughes: (215) 879-7777

Please call their offices today and ask whether they will drop their support for slots on credit ("Will the senator drop his/her support for slots on credit?"). Contact us and let us know what they say.

Next week we will conduct an action to provide some attention (wink, wink) to any Philly senator who is not publicly opposed to slots on credit.

Either way we win: We get these awful provisions deleted or we expose the lawmakers as pathetic puppets of the casino lobbyists. This is a clear-cut issue. There is no defense to providing credit for slots, and the editorial boards of both the Inquirer and the Daily News have come out strong against the idea.

Yes, even during this economic recession, the predatory casino industry is trying to push more people into debt. This would lead to more bankruptcies and more foreclosures. Already we see that the average compulsive gambler has a gambling debt of nearly $27,000. Easy credit fosters debt, especially when the "loan" goes directly into a slot machine.

Please make your calls and let us know how they respond by contacting us.

Photo: Flickr (cc)