Harrah's Tampa, Florida
I’ve been reading a few horror stories about the elderly (in Florida) who are losing their homes and proverbial shirts at Indian casino’s – namely, the Harrah’s Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida.
There can be NO doubt that allowing the Hard Rock to escalate its bingo games to that of real Vegas style slot machines, not to mention, table games - is taking its toll on the elderly, the impoverished and lower class of the greater Tampa area. I don’t know what the Governor was thinking when he approved and/or made deals with the Seminoles to open up their little Vegas getaways (other than he figured he use the losses from the elderly and impoverished to balance the budget of Florida).
Harrah's Cherokee Casino
I have read a few articles that have stated that the Hard Rock monitors its players and will pull them aside and counsel them if they (the Indians) perceive the patron may have a gambling problem. However, I’d like to know how many patrons they have actually pulled aside. I’ll bet (a bet) that you can count the number of patrons counseled for problem gambling – on your fingers and toes. Let’s face it! No one is going to admit to any type of addiction unless they hit rock-bottom, when it may be too late. How many horror stories have we heard (or read) where an elderly person has mortgaged their home to gamble? How many have committed suicide, as they could not tell their children what they had done? Seems to me that if anyone has committed suicide due to a gambling problem then NO ONE is offering any counseling for these people.
Ban Casino Gambling In Florida
The State of Florida has the lotto, which is draining their citizens pockets and they have now introduced Powerball – where does it stop? How about a slot machione at every gas station and convenience store in the state? People buy lotto and Powerball tickets, as they’re tired and poor. They’re looking to cash in on a dream, which essentially becomes a nightmare for themselves and their community. They lose everything they have and then claim bankruptcy or “off” themselves, as they’re done in this world and think that moving on to the next - is their only option. They do NOT seek out help, as they’re too afraid to admit they have a problem.
Gambling - A Cause of Death
Now, what do the casinos do to rope these poor souls in? Let’s see, they send them coupons for free play, which is anything but! They offer points for play (an incentive, which should be illegal), they offer them gifts, discounts and free shows and events. In order to make the process of accessing money convenient, they have ATM machines all about the place and let people take money off their credit cards and will even let them write checks! They’ll even give you a credit line to drag you further down into the abyss of debt.
Florida's Seniors Most at Risk!
To top it all off, they have introduced penny slot machines – another B.S. ploy to play with the minds of their players (remember, pennies add up).
If that’s not good enough, they offer drawings for cars and cash on specific dates and times (specifically, when they know floor traffic counts will decerase). This has got to stop if this economy is to get back on track! If Harrah’s thinks they have an argument that they employ thousands of people – guess what? Yes, they employ people in the State of Florida at minimum wage! They have slaves working for them and have conned the American public into becoming slaves to their massive money machines. In most cases, Americans can drive one hour to get to a gambling establishment in this country and this is NOT acceptable.
Here’s what President Obama should do to clean this mess up:
a. Make it illegal to allow ATM machines in casinos.
b. Make it illegal for them perform credit advances on credit cards. In most cases, the patrons are paying high fees to access these funds, which they lose!
c. Make it illegal to offer incentives in exchange for gambling. No rewards programs should be allowed.
d. Make it illegal for casinos to send emails, letters, invitations and coupons to established or prospective customers.
e. Make it illegal to allow any casino to advertise on television or through mass media.
f. Make them establish “monitored” counseling programs for problem gamblers.
e. If a patron lives within 25 miles of any casino, they should only be allowed to enter that casino once in a 30-day period. The casinos can use those comp cards they pass out to monitor residential patrons. In Aruba, they have strict controls for their residents as to keep their citizens from gambling away their life savings. Aruba controls it POVERTY level with this program.
g. If casino’s do not monitor their patrons and it is found that an elderly person has maxed out their credit cards or have filed for bankruptcy, the casino should pay back every single penny to the patron – if it is found that the individual was NOT monitored nor counseled. One could look at this as a fine for failure to comply item F.
h. Credit card companies MUST stop allowing cash advances through casino cashier windows.
i. Banks should NOT honor checks made payable to casino’s under any circumstances.
j. Make it illegal for casino hosts to contact patrons. In most cases, they use buzz words and offer show tickets and free rooms to entice the “weak” into losing more money. Casino hosts may be one the lowest forms of life (career wise) on this planet.
k. Do not allow alcohol to be served to any patron who’s gambling – common sense on this one.
l. Make it illegal for any gaming company to manage an Indian casino. The size of the casino should be determined based upon the number of those who will work at the casino. In other words, Indians should NOT be allowed to grab some land and head over to a large casino management firm and cut a deal and live off residuals. If a tribe does NOT have enough members to operate a casino (or the funds), then they should be shown the door.
Pissing Money Away at Casino's
Now, think about it? Americans are paying outrageous interest on credit card debt acquired through gambling in casino’s. OK, I’m not the Governor but, I have brain and the billions being earned by the few - via the misery of millions - is simply wrong! If this country is to get OUT of debt and be prosperous, Americans have to say NO to gambling. Americans have to get back to basics. If you want to PISS your money away, think (first) about giving it to a good charity or, feed the homeless, however, don’t walk into another casino and PISS it away for nothing! You’re not helping anyone other than those who think they’re entitled to claim they have sovereign land.
Children, with parents in their 60’s on up - should be talking to their moms and dads and making sure they’re not pissing away money at a local casino. You have to take matters into your own hands, as mom and dad may spending your inheritance. They may also be contemplating putting the family car in the garage, starting it up and offing them themselves! Don’t think this happens? It does! Do some research on-line and you’ll find all sorts of horror stories.
While I’m NOT an advocate of alcohol abuse, I will say that a person with a drinking problem is limited to what they can do. When they drink too much, they simply pass out, however, when a person has a gambling problem, there’s no end in sight – until they’re broke. Add a drinking problem with a gambling problem and you have the ultimate addiction.
If we really want to get this country back on track – gambling has to be controlled and regulated to the extreme. No, the casino’s won’t like what’s written on this blog and that’s just too bad as they’ve been busy pillaging the pockets of the elderly, low income families and targeting the most vulnerable of our society – the POOR!
One last word…
Regulate ALL Indian Casino's
How many Indians do you see at Foxwoods in Connecticut? As Trump once said “not many” and he’s right on target. How many billions has Foxwoods earned and how much have they served up to other tribes in this country (the POOR once again come into the equation) not too many. They help themselves. As for the Indians, those who own casino’s, have made their fair share for past transgressions. If you don’t share your wealth with ALL other tribes, then you should be shut down – period. As for Americans, go check out just how “saved” Indian casino owners actually are. Those operating multi-billion and multi-million dollar casino’s get their prescription drugs from the Federal Drug Supply including, subsidies. For the elderly and poor, next time you go into one of these casino’s and think of putting one thin dime in a machine, ask yourself who’s going to SAVE you when you’re OUT OF MONEY!
I disagree with c-g. the rest are fine to me, though. in Louisiana indians can’t open casinos. Louisiana has plenty of casinos in Shreveport. F is an ok idea, but only when the court mandates it for people who it has caused legal concerns. i hope Obama’s a good president.
Two words: personal responsibility.
Our whole economic problem comes down to those two little words. No one forces those folks to start gambling. I’ve never seen a casino ad say “Bet the rent money”
Yes, gambling addiction is serious. But try putting some of the blame on the people who do the gambling.
In reference to the statement about Aruba protecting its people from gambling addiction with strict controls:
It is a law and the government employs controllers to sit at a table at the entrance of the casinos, but ask any local player or casino employee and they will confirm that the law is not being upheld and gambling addiction is as much a problem on Aruba as it is anywhere else in the world. Aruba’s casinos are a most favorite hang out for its locals, bingo and slot machines are among their favorite pastimes
I`m interested there`s a lot of articles on casino gambling. There are different methods, tactics, strategies, algorithms of counting, calculations and so on.
But these objects are only heap of ads and i don`t want to analyze them `cause i don`t have any basic knowledge. It`s ineffective. Estimation i think will be wrong.
Is there anyone here who is interested in such topic?
I`d appreciate someone`s explaining to me is there any systems or strategies, what are they (what approaches or concepts lay in basis) and in which casinos could they be applied to?
Thanx a lot.