Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-27-2007, 10:46 PM
 
Location: Anywhere but here!
2,800 posts, read 9,986,889 times
Reputation: 1715
am starting this thread because of the thread I was just on (San Antonio thread) regarding legalizing casino gambling. I am going to copy and paste my reply on here for everyone else to see. Please read this and think again about your stand on whether or not to legalize gambling. It would sadden me to see Texas end up like the area I am living in now...don't let this happen to Texas...PLEASE! I'm sorry, I know my opinion/stance isn't going to be very popular with everyone, but please just read this and let it sink in a bit. I know what casino life can do and how many lives/familes are torn to pieces because of it!


Although I completely understand where everyone is coming from in regards to keeping the money in Texas and not having to travel so far to have some entertainment etc...let me clue you in a bit:
I live about 90 miles south/southeast of Las Vegas. The town I live in s Bullhead City, Arizona which borders Laughlin, Nevada. Some of you may know this place.
Although it seems great to have casinos at your finger tips etc, trust me when I say life as you know it will slowly but surely deteriorate. I have lived here 19 years. The people here care for one thing and one thing ONLY....THEMSELVES!
*You see people on the corners here selling every last thing they own, just to get enough money to get back home because they lost EVERYTHING! They sell their cd's, sun glasses, clothes or whatever measley valuable they have left just to try to get enough money to get out of town.
*The suicide rate is unimaginable! You will NEVER hear about it though...can't let other tourists know that Joe Smith just jumped out of his balcony window because he lost ever last dollar he has and cannot make his mortgage payment....again! This is a constant happening, but NEVER EVER published ANYWHERE! Another note on this (kind of off topic, but intresting)...NO ONE ever actually DIES in a casino, so to speak (if at all possible), especially here in Laughlin. If someone has a hear attack or?? they are treated as still living and pronounced "dead" at the hospital because the Clark Country Coroner is in Las Vegas and will take at least 2 hours to get to laughlin and that's only if he jumps in his car right then!
*Drugs, burglary other crimes. Again, you will very rarely if ever here about this stuff. You have to understand...where there are casinos it is a 24 hour town. Casino life is 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days per year. This poses for a very large methamphetamine rate! For years our small community was the meth capital of the USA! However, now meth is more wide spread. Burglaries, thefts, prostitution very prevalent when you add gambling to ANY community! Gambling addiction is a very big problem and is the gateway to many many crimes.
*The divorce rate is EXTREMELY horrible because the wife/husband has a gambling problem. I cannot begin to tell you how many divorces I have seen because of problem gambling. It's is so sad! you will see someone get off work, sit down at a machine and put their entire days tips into the machines, go to the payroll dept get a draw on their check and put it in the machine as well. Come payday, they cannot make there rent/mortgage, because they only have $50 left on their check. So, they take what little they DO have and drop it in the machines trying to "chase" their money. Of course it never works because if you need to the money you will always lose. Casinos are not in business because people always win. It is a VERY exteremely RARE occurance for someone to actually come out ahead in the casinos. Even if you hit that jackpot, how much over the years have you put in those machines? You never really come out ahead
** Overall morals, values and logic cease to exist around casinos! This is the first place I have ever lived where people are so cut throat, manipulative, corrupt and deceitful! You DO NOT TRUST ANYBODY! There are plenty of people around here that could vouch for what I am saying here.
Like I said, I understand everyone' philosophy of wanting casinos, but believe me, it is not what it is cracked up to be. Texas is a GREAT STATE, people have good values, for the most part (of course every state has it's problems etc). Some of the effects I am talking about may not happen immediately, but they WILL happen in time.
This is NOT a family friendly lifestyle here. I have 4 kids and we are doing whatever it takes right now to get out of here and get to Texas. We have already wasted too much time here and let our kids grow up here far too long.
PLEASE TEXAS, RETHINK YOUR STAND ON PERMITTING CASINOS!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-27-2007, 11:41 PM
 
23 posts, read 49,987 times
Reputation: 18
The money gained by allowing gambling on reservations (example Tegua Indians in Yselta, TX, near El Paso) would bring a great deal of relief to a very depressed area. However, there are many negative side-effects, as well. Having said this, perhaps the gain from bringing much needed jobs would out-weigh the onslaught of addiction...then again, maybe not. Of course, with addiction comes the need for healthcare professionals--which would lead to more jobs...hmmm...it's a "catch 22", isn't it?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2007, 11:41 PM
 
Location: Western Bexar County
3,823 posts, read 14,624,243 times
Reputation: 1943
Thumbs up Casinos in Texas

I think each major city in Texas (population of 300,000 or more) should have only one casino and no slots in other businesses. Too much money is going to Nevada and Louisiana that can be put to good use in Texas.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2007, 03:59 PM
 
121 posts, read 812,454 times
Reputation: 94
One should also keep in mind many of those potential consequences can be mitigated by not allowing unchecked development of casinos. Tight restrictions can keep things a little more in line. I haven't seen the usual downsides of gambling when I've been to Central City and Blackhawk in Colorado.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2007, 08:05 PM
 
Location: Anywhere but here!
2,800 posts, read 9,986,889 times
Reputation: 1715
It's realy just an unfortunate turn of events that come with casino life. I have known countelss of previously remarkable, successful people that went completely down the drain once they moved here around these casinos. One of those people being my own mother. She is a lot better now days with her gambling, but she is just one of MANY that have suffered "chasing her money" and the horrible addiction.
There is just an overall moral decline that you will not see anywhere else. I do not like using Morgan Quitno (as their rankings are sketchy based on their criteria), however on just about any site you dearch for most dangerous states, Nevada and Louisiana are ranked #1 and #2. According to some sites Louisiana is #3. And Nevada is ranked #1 for divorce rates! Is this just coincidence? No! I would just really hate to see this happen in Texas. I love Texas, can't wait to get their! Truth is, I will be there and still LOVE it, with or without the casinos
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-28-2007, 11:16 PM
 
Location: Western Bexar County
3,823 posts, read 14,624,243 times
Reputation: 1943
I believe alcohol does more harm to society than gambling. Too many people have been killed/maimed by drunken drivers...many of have multiple DUI/DWI arrests! Many forms of gambling (bingo, lotto, horse/dog racing) currently exist in Texas, so I don't see that a casino will add that much more to the problem. That said, though, I do not want to see multiple casinos in the same area like Las Vegas.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2007, 12:24 AM
 
Location: Anywhere but here!
2,800 posts, read 9,986,889 times
Reputation: 1715
I do agree with what you're saying...perhaps if they are spread out and not grouped together, maybe it won't be so bad. However, I am not sure how they would tun the casinos in Texas, but please keep in mind....Every casino in Nevada serves FREE alcohol to anyone playing the machines or black jack or??? Free liquor....more problems.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2007, 12:25 PM
 
Location: Johns Island, SC
797 posts, read 2,984,327 times
Reputation: 1096
Thumbs down Really Bad Idea!

In my opinion...

Gambling is very destructive and while people like to think it is just another form of entertainment many people do it for the wrong reasons. I have seen it destroy many lives and families. Back in WA the local communities continue to suffer the consequences (crime, poverty, divorce rates, etc..) of legalizing casinos and slot machines. (BTW... it all started on the indian reservations where the revenues were so big the penalties to operate illegally weren't enough to keep people from opening up card rooms/slots all over the place! )

Unfortunately casinos attract the less than fortunate just as much as the wealthy and the illusion that you can "get lucky" and win a lot of money is the death trap many people fall in. Even for those people who have an endless amount of disposable income to waste on it you think they would find something better to do with their time and money.

No amount of revenue earned from local casinos to support education needs could balance out the huge negative impact it will have on the social destruction that comes with it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2007, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Johns Island, SC
797 posts, read 2,984,327 times
Reputation: 1096
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steel Man View Post
I believe alcohol does more harm to society than gambling. Too many people have been killed/maimed by drunken drivers...many of have multiple DUI/DWI arrests! Many forms of gambling (bingo, lotto, horse/dog racing) currently exist in Texas, so I don't see that a casino will add that much more to the problem. That said, though, I do not want to see multiple casinos in the same area like Las Vegas.
You are grossly underestimating the ultimate destruction that will come with adding casinos to the TX gambling market. Gambling and alchol go hand in hand and you can expect an immediate increases in DUI/DWI arrests along with theft, poverty, and divorce rates if TX gets casinos.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-29-2007, 09:42 PM
 
Location: Western Bexar County
3,823 posts, read 14,624,243 times
Reputation: 1943
Quote:
Originally Posted by noplacelikeWA View Post
You are grossly underestimating the ultimate destruction that will come with adding casinos to the TX gambling market. Gambling and alchol go hand in hand and you can expect an immediate increases in DUI/DWI arrests along with theft, poverty, and divorce rates if TX gets casinos.
I have lived in San Antonio for 17 years (this time) and all that you stated ALREADY exists in San Antonio. Go to any convenience store and you see people buying beer and lottery. San Antonio has one of the worse DUI/DWI incidents in Texas, and that is only the ones that get caught. Many people are killed here by drunken drivers. I don't drink and really don't care for casinos; however, if we had ONLY ONE in each major city it would help bring more income and jobs to Texas. These casinos could cater to tourists. I DO NOT want multiple casinos, just one, so I'm not grossly underestimating the ultimate destruction...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top