Whether in the glittering lights of Las Vegas or the illegal pai gow parlors of New York’s Chinatown, about 51 million people—a quarter of all adults over 21—visited a casino last year. Casinos offer high-end entertainment, luxurious accommodations and breath-taking art installations. But they’re also places where people can lose large sums of money—and a lot of it.
Gambling is a hobby that’s not without its risks, especially for those who become addicted to it. Problem gambling can ruin relationships, bank accounts and lives. It’s important to recognize the warning signs of addiction and seek help if you think you have a problem. Most casinos display responsible gambling information and provide contact details for organizations that can offer specialized support. In addition, most states include responsible gambling as a condition of a casino’s license.
Local communities benefit when a casino opens, because it attracts people with spending money. But the promise that the jobs created by a casino will be filled by residents of the community is not always fulfilled. If the local unemployment rate decreases because of a casino, it may be because most of the new workers are from outside the area. In that case, the increase in employment hasn’t improved local economic conditions for the original population. Similarly, if $100 million a year from a casino is earmarked for education, it’s unlikely to boost education spending above the previous level. These examples have been automatically selected from various online sources. They may not reflect current usage of the word ‘casino’.