Series on Gambling

Not only does “Going for Broke” (series, Dec. 13-15) parrot the so-called “facts” perpetuated by critics of the gaming industry, its tone suggests there is something sinister about the American Gaming Assn. acting to protect the interests of its employees, customers and stockholders. The casino gaming industry represents its members in Washington to ensure that no unfair legislation is enacted. One piece of unfair legislation was the original bill to create a federal commission to study gaming. Written by vocal enemies of the industry, the bill specifically called for a study of only the negative aspects of gaming. We have never opposed a fair and balanced study, and, after 18 months of hearings and research, we do believe the commission has been exposed to both the negative and the positive aspects of gaming.

This article suggests that the gaming industry controlled appointments to the commission. The first appointment was James Dobson, a leader in the Christian conservative movement and a vocal critic of the gaming industry. His appointment set the tone for the remainder of the selections.

In establishing the National Center for Responsible Gaming, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research on disordered gambling, the casino gaming industry stepped up to the plate financially while also taking great pains to ensure the credibility of the research. An independent advisory board makes decisions about grant recipients and the type of research to be conducted. Peer review of grant applications is modeled after the National Institutes of Health, a rigorous procedure that ensures the integrity of the research.

The series’ purported hard look at the social impact of gaming also failed to report that there are two sides to social impact. In new casino gaming venues such as East St. Louis, Ill.; Tunica, Miss.; and Bossier City, La., thousands of new jobs have been created. The number of people on public assistance has dropped significantly. And hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes have helped stimulate construction, boost retail sales, improve schools, develop infrastructure and strengthen law enforcement efforts, among numerous other community improvements.

FRANK J. FAHRENKOPF JR.

President, American Gaming Assn.

Washington