New York Daily News

Dear Editor:

In his Nov. 25 opinion piece, “Gambling away our cities,” writer Richard Florida cites the works of anti-gambling activists—whose theories have long be criticized for inaccuracy and faulty methodology—to unfairly pillory the gaming industry. If Mr. Florida doesn’t want to see casinos in New York, that’s fine, but your readers would be far better served if he simply said so, rather than compiling a list of outdated and universally debunked myths.

The truth is the gaming industry accounts for hundreds of thousands of stable, good-paying jobs and creates opportunities for tens of thousands of local businesses across the country.

In a recent survey of community leaders in areas with casinos, 83 percent said that the overall impact of casinos on their communities has been positive, and 88 percent said that the problems opponents claimed casinos would bring to their communities never occurred.  In fact, studies show that as casino gambling has expanded in recent decades, the rate of pathological gambling in the adult population has remained steady at 1 percent. The overwhelming majority of casino patrons gamble responsibly, setting a modest budget as they choose to enjoy this entertainment option.

Mr. Florida can keep digging to find support for his claims of supposed social ills and costs, but these are the facts, in plain sight for everyone to see.

Sincerely,
Frank Fahrenkopf
President & CEO, American Gaming Association