Addicted to Gambling

Your Aug. 21 editorial “The Trouble With Casinos” describes the downside of casinos in our California society: Importantly, a major gambling venue puts strong demands on police, fire and other services, but the critical issue is the estimated 1 million Californians who are tragically addicted to gambling.

If we understand the nature of addiction, isn’t it accurate to characterize our state leaders on this question as enablers, and their decisions as lacking in simple ethics? And as we expand our state’s partnership with gambling interests and corollary dependence on our cut of the money, aren’t we addicting ourselves? Aren’t we actually 34 million citizens addicted to gambling?

Donald Funk

Redondo Beach