economic impact

Casino Foes Roll out Another Failed Theory

The “zero-sum game” argument – which states that the outcome for a casino’s host city depends on the casino’s ability to attract out-of-state tourists (“Bad Odds,” Regional Economic Roundup, June 11) – appears to be the most recent in a long line of failed social cost theories advanced by gaming opponents and has absolutely no basis in fact. There is no evidence that localities that include gaming in their economic mix could find themselves in trouble because of a saturation of casinos.

Re “Casinos Booming in Katrina’s Wake as Cash Pours In,” July 16):

Adding casinos to mix has proved productive

While the American Gaming Association does not take a position on local gaming issues, we do find it necessary to respond to Donn Esmonde’s July 27 column, “Casino foes pay price of telling truth,” which contained a number of inaccurate statements about the casino gaming industry.

Casinos have positive effect on communities

It's unfortunate someone who has covered the gaming industry for so long would produce an article with so little balance (Alan Sayre, "Changing tide: Casinos are finding gambling is a harder sell"), so I'd like to provide it here.

It is clearly Sayre's opinion that gaming hasn't lived up to expectations. We somehow doubt that the 18,000 casino employees in Louisiana who earned $666.15 million in wages last year would agree.

Dear Editor:

As the parent company of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, one of seven casinos currently operating in Pennsylvania, we were disappointed to read your recent anti-gaming editorial, “Gambling revenues come at high price” (Feb. 13). 

Dear Editor:

Though the Casino Association of Indiana does not take a position on gambling expansion, your readers should know that Russ Pulliam’s opinion piece, “Resisting gambling’s lure” (April 17), makes a case built on bad information.

Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:

It is difficult to make heads or tails of the latest research from Ball State University (“Study questions benefits of slots,” August 5). Any credible economist would agree that the study is deeply flawed. Its methodology and economic models don’t support the author’s own assertions, much less the real facts.

Dear Editor,

Though the American Gaming Association does not take a position on gambling expansion, your readers should know that the argument in Nate Silver’s October Esquire article does not hold water.

Dear Editor:

It’s no secret that communities across the country are continuing to face tough economic circumstances, including reduced home prices and tax revenues. To imply, however, that these phenomena are somehow exclusive to communities with casinos, as Froma Harrop did in her recent column (“Casinos anything but a jackpot for states,” Nov. 15), is irresponsible and misleading.