Effects of Casinos

Review of Literature

The Effects of Casinos and the Gaming Industry: Their negative effects outweigh the benefits
Fall 2011

With the rapid growth of permitted gambling in the United States, much debate has risen over the positive and negative impacts of the gaming industry and casinos upon our society. Very little research has been done in the past to assess the influences upon our communities and our citizens. However, more and more issues are surfacing that are inducing much concern. The longer these establishments exist in our communities, the more their damaging effects are being felt. Those who are investigating this subject are coming to a unified conclusion: Casinos and gambling have many negative effects, far more than the few benefits that they provide.

This country has undergone a gambling boom over the last two decades, and this popular past-time activity is still on the rise with new casinos being built every year. Before 1978, there were no casinos outside of Nevada (Grinols, 2006). Today there is some form of legalized gambling in every state except two: Hawaii and Utah. (Kearney, 2005) Commercial casino revenues increased 266% from $8.7 billion in 1990 to $31.8 billion in 1999. (NGISCR, 1999) Commercial casino revenues were recorded at $37.5 billion in 2007. (AGA, 2011) Revenues were recorded at 34.6 billion in 2010 (AGA, 2011), a staggering amount even after the drastic economic decline our economy endured in the previous years.

With the ever-increasing popularity and access to these structures, increases in the negative impacts are being felt. Gambling addictions and pathological gamblers are growing in numbers, and more and more people are surfacing in addiction centers seeking help (Pavlako, 1999). (Pavlako, 1999) points out that the pathological gambling addiction can be compared to that of an alcohol