THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 23, 1995 TAG: 9501190019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
In contrast to the glowing reports in your newspaper, riverboat gambling is of no great benefit. It directly competes with every other job in the community. Money that would otherwise be spent on cars, fixing leaky roofs, going out to eat, getting Christmas gifts, or anything else you can purchase, will sail down the river.
Legalized gambling differs from every other form of fraud and scam only by being legal. Why protect consumers from con men on the one hand while inviting them to run the riverboats in the next breath?
Gambling is an industry based on extracting as much cash from each participant as can be obtained. It is successful only to the extent that it is deceitful. Customers are lured into paying more and more by an exaggerated hope of winning big.
It is with this same exaggerated hope of winning that the idea of riverboat gambling is being sold to us in the press and to our legislators in Richmond. The same people who will be deceiving the customers must gain the public confidence before they can take any individual for a ride. Shall we trust them? Shall we take their word for it? I hope not!
Anyone who demands honesty in business should oppose riverboat gambling. Anyone who believes in protecting the gullible from the greedy should oppose riverboat gambling. Anyone who relies on a strong economy in Hampton Roads to keep their job should oppose riverboat gambling.
How about giving us coverage centered on all the losers riverboat gambling will take just to make one big winner? If you take away the hype and glitter, we will be able to see that riverboat gambling is really a lousy bet.
STEVEN A. JOSEPHSEN
Norfolk, Jan. 16, 1995 by CNB