Philadelphia Inquirer

Dear Editor:

I was deeply disappointed that the Inquirer chose to make light of last week’s terrible incident at Parx Casino (“Slots for tots,” June 19). Problem gambling must be addressed with thoughtful solutions, not flippancy and sarcasm.

The gaming industry has long recognized some people cannot gamble responsibly. As a result, we have implemented robust responsible gaming programs at casinos across the country and contributed millions of dollars to fund independent, peer-reviewed research on disordered gambling. We don’t want problem gamblers at our casinos – period.

However, though the Parx Casino case is undoubtedly tragic, it is not indicative of the gaming experience shared by millions of customers every day. In reality, 99 percent of casino patrons gamble without incident and for the right reason – to have fun.

Nevertheless, the gaming industry goes to great lengths to prevent problem gambling; it is an issue we take very seriously. It’s a shame that, in this instance, the Inquirer did not.

Sincerely,   

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