For some, the proposed Cowlitz casino-resort would be devastating
Not just a game
For most people, gambling is just another form of recreation. For others it is more.
- 5 percent of adult Washingtonians have had gambling problems
- 2.3 percent have had gambling problems during the previous year
- Problem gambling is 2 to 3.5 times more prevalent among people who play at casinos.
- Within 50 miles of a gaming facility, the number of problem and pathological gamblers doubles.
(Sources for these statistics: bullets 1, 2 and 3; bullet 4.)
| Crime rates tend to begin rising 3 or 4 years after a casino begins doing business in a county. |
Problem gaming at the proposed Cowlitz casino
Video slot machines, which in Washington are allowed only in tribal casinos, are known to be especially addictive and are referred to by some as “the crack cocaine of gambling.” A study of pathological gamblers found that those gambling primarily on machines became addicted much more quickly (after one year) than those using more traditional means, such as cards, sports and instant lottery games (after 3.5 years), according to research published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. The proposed casino would have 3,000 slot machines at full buildout.
If the proposed casino were to attract 4 million visitors a year, that would be nearly 11,000 a day. Considering the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling statistics, using the most conservative calculation, at least 250 casino visitors a day would be suffering from gambling problems.
The Cowlitz Tribe’s agreement with Clark County states that the tribe would offer $50,000 a year to assist with gambling problems. The average cost of treating a problem gambler was approximately $1,560 in 2003, according to the Washington State Council on Problem Gambling. Using those figures, the tribe’s contribution would help treat only 32 problem gamblers a year.
Here is how the DEIS attempts to justify this: First, it estimates that bringing the casino-resort to the La Center junction could increase the number of problem gamblers by “approximately 1,716”—adding to the “approximately 7,893” adults in Clark and Cowlitz counties who currently experience gambling problems requiring treatment. Then, it cites a report that says only 3 percent of people with severe gambling problems will seek treatment in a given year—in the case of these new problem gamblers, that would be 52 people. One counselor, paid $47,500, should be able to take care of those 52 people, according to the DEIS.
But what about the other (at least) 1,664 people who would have developed gambling problems? They would cost the community in many other ways, which are listed in the DEIS as secondary effects: “crime, bankruptcy, divorce, domestic violence, and mental or physical health problems. …” And what about the many visitors from Oregon who also would develop gambling problems?
| Two-thirds to 80 percent of gambling revenues come from the 10 percent of the population that gambles most heavily. |
Problem gaming: a community problem
Economists at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign and University of Georgia examined research from across the country for a 2001 study that concluded the economic benefits of casinos do not outweigh their costs. What follow are some of their findings:
- 62 percent of gamblers in treatment committed illegal acts as a result of their gambling.
- In a 1998 survey of nearly 400 members of Gamblers Anonymous, 57 percent said they had stolen to finance their gambling. The average amount stolen? $135,000. The total stolen? More than $30 million.
- "Problem and pathological gamblers often impose costs on their employers (in addition to theft or embezzlement ...) in the form of an unreliable presence on the job and reduced productivity when present. Between 21 and 36 percent of problem gamblers in treatment reported losing a job because of their gambling," according to a 1998 study.
- Gambling costs more than raising taxes, even for those who never gamble. Each compulsive gambler costs the economy between $14,006 and $22,077 per year.
- Crime rates tend to begin rising 3 or 4 years after a casino begins doing business in a county.
- Two-thirds to 80 percent of gambling revenues come from the 10 percent of the population that gambles most heavily.
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