Senior gambling addiction rates soaring
By Lynn Stuart Parramore, AlterNet
Atlantic City boasts fabulous amenities for America’s senior citizens. See the broad boardwalk, perfect for fresh air and exercise. Notice the limited-mobility seniors rolling along on rented scooters and the wheelchair-bound joining the fun at easily accessible slot machines and blackjack tables. Feast your eyes on dozens of exotic and affordable buffets, and don’t miss the drug discounts and free lunch coupons handed out at every turn. All day and far into the night, the buses zip to and from retirement centers, carrying promises of excitement. And did you hear? Tony Bennett’s here tonight, crooning all those songbook classics grandma knows by heart. And she’s not going alone. She found a date on an Atlantic City senior hookup site.
Look: just over there is your neighbor Mr. Jones, professional man and pillar of the community. At 68 he’s the picture of respectability and sound judgment.
Only now he’s hunched over a blackjack table, hands trembling over a stack of plastic chips. Mr. Jones has blown through $200,000 of his retirement savings so far this year. He has fallen behind on his house payments. His children, who live far away, don’t have a clue what Dad has been doing every afternoon these last few months since Mom died. Mr. Jones keeps his habit a secret. Once a sunny optimist, he feel humiliated. Mr. Jones hates the person he has become.
Seniors are the fastest growing population of gamblers. They are gambling away their income, their savings, and their chance for a secure future. When they lose, they can’t make it up or start over. It’s a no-win game, driven by a greedy industry united in unholy alliance with policy makers and politicians who turn a blind eye to the social and economic costs of gambling.
Huh.
This couldn’t POSSIBLY have ANYTHING to do with the fact that 48 states now have some form of legalized gaming.
Gambling is a known destructive agent to human societies. Yet today our governments thrive on it. Here in Oregon they have turned all the little bars and pubs into mini casinos for the state. Nice racket really.
You get to have up to 6 machines and if you can get just 40 or 50 of the neighbors addicted to your machines you won’t have to advertise anymore or nothin’.
If they are on government pensions then you got the real winning ticket buddy.
Until it ends that is.
CJ, are you saying that those folks should take no responsibility for their own actions? It’s all the government’s fault?
Level,
I am saying that “we” are the government and we are doing the wrong thing with gambling. It destroys societies. Period.
I think I make it very clear.
Yes always. The government, which is bad and should go away, allowed the gambling to exist, and the government should have been being more of a government, which would be good and we need more of it, and all of it would add up to a net zero. See, gambling is an addiction, and the government needs to prevent predatory capitalism. But because the government is bad, it shouldn’t do anything, and capitalism is always good, and it should never be impeded.
It is all very complicated. And simple. And the government is at fault. That is why banks and insurance companies, all gamblers themselves, should not be regulated.
I know it appears that I am being contradictory, but I assure that any perceived contradiction is the result of the government.
cosa,
You don’t put words in my mouth!
I have nothing against government, did you read what I wrote?
We are the government, …
You seem to have an intellect problem, all book learned and no common sense.
The government is a liberal plot………”We” are the government…………
OMG, you’re a closet liberal CJ!
Why would someone who lives in another state write here to say how much they hate California and especially So. Lake Tahoe? Why would someone write to Lake Tahoe News to insult people and ridicule their beliefs and political take on things? Why would someone make personal attacks on the people that comment on the aforementioned publication? Why would a person write in here to espouse their own view of reality while demeaning others for theirs? So many questions and so many more. I don’t want the answer because it will be another hate filled diatribe of nonsense and self congratulatory boasting by a person with an inflated ego who feels self importance by belittling others and promoting their own far right wing agenda, despite the facts proving those points to be wrong . Good night, Sir! OLS
OLS,
Because I love America and I want the people to see and understand what is destroying it, caliche?
I explained this often, South Lake Tahoe is the poster child for liberal failure.
Your reputation is well earned. El Dorado County, South Lake Tahoe is everything a community in America should not be.
I attack a philosophy, liberalism, especially progressive Liberalism.
That is not personal.
I only attack personally when attacked personally first.
I’m not getting involved in this. This is a lose, lose. Have a good day folks.
Old Long Skiis — I like you.
Well said, OLS.
Ols, you got it absolutly right. Thanks for this summary. I couldnt have said it better. Have a nice day…