Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

Coins have been dropping for less than a month at Pennsylvania's first slots parlor, and already, the General Assembly has made the first of what will certainly be many heartless concessions to the casino cartel, citing ''competition'' from neighboring states. What is this heartless concession, you ask? Well, now that Gov. Ed Rendell signed the new bill, casinos will be able to ply their customers with a mind-altering, judgment-impairing drug, 19 hours a day - for free! Yes, the latest turn in Pennsylvania's downward gambling spiral is the legalization of free alcoholic drinks to slots users. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sean Logan, D-Allegheny, passed the state Senate by a vote of 27-22 and the state House by 112-75. This follows a vote by the state Senate just last month to exempt casinos from smoking bans enacted by local municipalities. (Thankfully, that measure then failed to pass the state House.) Some lawmakers said that they wanted to exempt casinos because they feared that bans on cigarettes would reduce the number of slots players and thus reduce the amount of revenue. Apparently, there's no such special concern for the business impact on the myriad of mom-and-pop taverns and restaurants that are affected by the smoking bans already in place in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties. It's a gambling protection program at work here. It is equally appalling that one United Way chapter recruited hundreds of gamblers from among its volunteers for the pre-opening test-run of the first slot machines at Pocono Downs on the weekend before opening day, with proceeds promised to compulsive gambling programs. Press reports said that the local United Way of Wyoming Valley was excited about the opportunity to thank volunteers in that way. Funding notwithstanding, it's the United Way agencies that should know that dual and triple addictions are common, such as alcoholics who are also hooked on gambling and smoking. It's the social service world that will be forced to handle the fallout from the new crop of local citizens who become gambling addicts. It has happened in every other state, including those states our lawmakers say that we need to ''compete'' with. Imagine, if you will, allowing a car dealer to offer free booze to a customer while he tries to close the sale and get the customer to sign on the bottom line. Or a stock broker who leads an investor into the latest deal after plying him with drinks during a version of happy hour!

Most people would deem those business practices unthinkable and in fact, they might create unenforceable contracts. Under Pennsylvania's common law, a person may avoid contractual obligations if the contract was formed while he was visibly intoxicated. In other words, they are assumed to be victims of the deal since they signed the bottom line while their judgment was impaired by alcohol (or drugs).

Of course, the tragic actions of our General Assembly with regard to casino gambling didn't start with the vote on free booze. These concessions to the casinos will become all-too commonplace as one addiction literally feeds another.

It's a double-minded government that has its state police rightfully warn the public to ''Click it or Ticket'' to get us to buckle up, especially for holiday travel and meanwhile seems to abandon its concerns for safety and well-being of certain citizens when it comes to casinos and the almighty gambling dollar.

Perhaps our General Assembly and the Gaming Control Board should take a lesson from another state agency, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. For years, the PLCB has warned us against drinking and driving with a bumper sticker that says, ''Impairment begins with the first drink.''