Print
Oct 31, 2008 8:21 pm US/Eastern
Slots Opponents Highlight Addiction Risks
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
-
-
With three more days until Election Day, the people who want to prohibit slot machine gambling brought out those who became addicted.
With three more days until Election Day, the people who want to prohibit slot machine gambling brought out those who became addicted.
Mike Schuh reports they're asking is the income to the state worth the social costs.
A rally was held Friday to plead with voters not to legalize slots.
In East Baltimore rests the only in-patient gambling addiction center in the country. By the time someone walks through the door as a patient, they've lost all the thrill once found at the slots.
"Slots are, in our industry, are called the crack cocaine of gambling. It's the most addictive form of gambling that's out there," said Michael Osbourne.
Compulsive gamblers say the addict doesn't have much choice once exposed to slots.
"Once a person goes to a slot machine and hits for the first time, they're addicted," said Leroy Yegge, a recovering gambler. "They want to go back and do it again. And when they don't hit the second time, they need to go back to win the money they just lost."
One message the anti-slots folks made clear is that every dollar being sent to the state is a dollar lost gambling.
"I didn't hear anyone say put aside money to help compulsive gamblers. They can create it, but they don't want to do nothing about it. So whatever you can do to eliminate it, I think that's a good thing," said Lee Phelan, gambler.
Some fear slots is an opening to a full casino.
Eyewitness News spent much of Friday in contact with the pro-slots organization. They could not meet requests for interviews other than to direct
WJZ to a new commercial posted on YouTube which talks about Peter Franchot's previous support of slots in Maryland.
The pro-slots organization is spending 15 to one more than the anti-slots groups.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
WJZ.COM's Most Popular Slideshows
