Bangor Daily News

Dear Editor:

Despite its seeming reliance on viable research, the May 31 article, “Gambling and Crime,” creates a link between casinos and crime that simply isn’t there.  The “casinos cause crime” myth has been championed by anti-gaming activists for more than a decade, but their argument fails to hold water upon closer examination of the very “facts” that seem to support it. 

While the article would let you believe that the advent of casinos caused enormous influx of crime in local communities where they operate, in fact, what Grinols and Mustard actually found in their study was that the crime rate in non-casino and casino counties fell during the 1977-96 period, but the rate fell more in non-casino counties.

It’s also interesting to note what this report leaves out.  The very same crime statistics Grinols and Mustard cite in their study actually show that places such as Orlando, Fla. had a higher crime rate than Las Vegas during this period.  But it’s easier to say that casinos cause crime than Mickey and Goofy do, so the self-perpetuating myth continues.

Experts both then and now acknowledge that the increase in crime within casino and amusement park communities is due not to the inherent evil of either activity, but rather to the influx of people visiting these popular entertainment destinations.  But in their calculation of crime rates for casino counties, Grinols and Mustard included the crimes committed by tourists, but did not include tourists in their population measure, resulting is an overstatement of the crime rate in casino counties.

Clearly, the real facts don’t support the claim that gambling inherently causes crime.  As the citizens of Maine are beginning to find following the arrival of the first racino in 2005, the gaming industry spurs economic growth, creates more jobs and allows for a better quality of life in the communities where it operates.

Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.
President and CEO
American Gaming Association