Dear Editor:

In his “Loser-friendly Casinos” (April 12) opinion article, Leslie Bernal makes a number of dubious and, ultimately, highly debatable claims about gambling.

The fact is that gambling is an entertainment option enjoyed by millions of people from all walks of life who choose the activity because it is a fun, exciting entertainment experience.

Support for our industry has been documented time and time again by peer reviewed research findings. In fact, Mr. Bernal’s claims about the predatory nature of our business collapse completely in the face of recent survey results showing that 68 percent of residents in communities where commercial casinos are located would vote “yes” if a referendum were held to decide whether or not to keep casino gaming in their communities (conducted for AGA by VP Communications, Inc., and national pollster Peter D. Hart). If any further evidence is required to debunk the author’s faulty premise, the results from this same survey show that an average of 80 percent of Americans find gaming acceptable for themselves or others.

Plain and simple, the predatory industry Mr. Bernal describes does not exist. Just ask the millions of Americans who enjoy the entertainment we offer and the millions more who support our industry in their communities.

Sincerely,

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