People Against a Casino Town
News from PACT

SENIORS ARE PRIME TARGETS FOR PREDATORY CASINOS

One casino has a huge billboard aimed at departing casino patrons proclaiming:
"DON'T WORRY, YOU CAN COME BACK AGAIN"

If that statement means, don't worry, you can come back and try again to win,
we think truth in advertising rules, if they applied to casinos,
would require the following disclaimers to be added to this billboard:
DON'T WORRY, YOU CAN COME BACK AGAIN ...
... as soon as you cash in those bonds you were saving for the grandkids
AND AGAIN ...
... as soon as your social security check arrives.
AND AGAIN ...
... as soon as you get that third mortgage on your home.
AND AGAIN ...
... as soon as you apply for that fourth credit card.
AND AGAIN ...
... as soon as you leave that expensive apartment and move in with the kids.
AND AGAIN ...
... as soon as you hock that old watch that your father gave you.
This commentary may seem like exaggeration, but before you decide, please see the articles below and remember that our community, Florence,  is primarily a retirement community.
  • From the first article we read: "A Florida study estimated that more than 650,000 seniors in the state -- more than one in five -- are experiencing a gambling problem." That total represents twenty per cent of a major segment of our local community. Can Florence socially, economically, ethically, afford to have this many people in its population addicted to gambling?

  • From the second article: "What started as a way for Mary Cano to soothe her grief turned into a habit that took her house, retirement savings and the life insurance policy her husband left her" and "At their age, they have little hope of recovering from their financial loses," Fowler said.  Some seniors, destitute and humiliated, have committed suicide.

  • From the third article: "Western Bay elderly are being forced to mortgage properties and spend retirement savings to fund gambling habits sparked by loneliness."
  • From the fourth article: "... over-60 problem gamblers were increasing at a much higher rate than the older population at large.  "It's a really worrying trend as elderly gamblers have less chance of paying off debts and recovering from losses."


We suspect that casino supporters may persist in saying that the casino presents fun and games. To that claim we say, who is having the fun, and who is playing the games? And who is being made to pay the lasting costs for these fun and games? 

It is better to look after the elderly and care for them
than to provide the casino access into their savings and their lives.

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