Last year Massachusetts laid the groundwork to build three casinos and a slots parlor. Now the casino rush has swept across the state. Cities and towns want jobs and tourism. State lawmakers are hungry for an easy cash stream straight from the casino tills.
But amid all this talk of free money and jobs galore, one person said, not so fast. Robert Goodman appeared recently in front of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to sound a cautionary note. He said more studies are needed, and that the commission has to consider the collateral costs - crime, addiction, out-of-state competition - that come with gaming operations.
Guest:
Robert Goodman, Professor Emeritus at Hampshire College, author of The Luck Business: The Devastating Consequences and Broken Promises of America’s Gambling Explosion.
