As reported by the Observer Reporter: Now that the introduction of casino gambling in Pennsylvania is only a matter of time, watchdogs are asking what protections will be in place for those who can't pull themselves away from video slot machines.
The state will see as many as 61,000 slot machines at 14 venues, including one planned for The Meadows harness racing track in North Strabane Township. In legalizing slots this year, legislators included measures for addressing gambling addiction, but some say the safeguards cannot counter the nature of the gaming business.
"This is an industry – and I hate to call it that – where once you're in bed with them, they call all the shots," said Bill Kearney, a onetime compulsive gambler and vocal critic of expanded gaming from Philadelphia.
Kearney expects that the safeties put in place will disappear under pressure from competition in neighboring states like West Virginia and Delaware.
A section of the Pennsylvania law prohibits casino owners from extending credit to customers, a common practice at casinos in other states. It also forbids the use of credit or debit cards for slot machine credits. Rules regarding placement of automatic teller machines on casino property have been left up to the state's new Gaming Control Board, which held its first meetings in December.
Kearney says ATMs shouldn't be allowed on casino premises, and has issued a list of other recommendations in the Philadelphia media. Among them is a call for casinos to provide a monthly statement of losses, winnings and complimentary items – called "comps" in the industry, they include everything from free meals to helicopter rides – to regular customers whose transactions are tracked using magnetic strip cards. |
