A New Era editorial on August 7th is headed “DeWeese’s table games crusade” and concludes: “Gaming, in general, is a form of regressive taxation that results in more social costs – addictions (gambling, drugs and alcohol), prostitution, theft and other street crimes, broken families- than benefits. Adding table games to the mix only makes matters worse.”
We are not unsympathetic to that position. But let us set forth counter arguments which also have validity:
“Gaming, in general, is a form of regressive taxation.” Gaming is a recreation. Taxes on gaming are no more regressive than taxes for a Barnstormers or a Phillies game, which attract a similar income group. True, taxes placed on the cost of tickets for “Les Miserables” and dramas at the Fulton could be deemed progressive, because they are entertainment patronized largely by the more affluent. Is our goal to socially engineer the public’s recreational choices through taxation?
“Gaming, in general, is a form of…addictions (gambling, drugs and alcohol.)” Just as most imbibers of alcohol and smokers or marijuana do so socially and without adverse and often with positive effect, only a tiny fraction of gamblers become addicted… and those are people likely to be addicted to something or other anyway due to chemical imbalances that make them susceptible.
“Gaming, in general, …is a form of prostitution…” (sic). Apart from the grammatical lapse, the problems with prostitution, as with illegal drugs, are largely due to prohibition which prevents regulation, control and taxation. Anyone who thinks one has to go to Atlantic City or Las Vegas to encounter prostitutes hasn’t looked at the Yellow Pages in metropolitan areas under “Escorts” or visited Craig’s List. Certainly the streets of Lancaster are not without the oldest profession.
“Adding table games to the mix only makes matters worse.” We don’t know that losing a hundred dollars at craps is any worse for society than losing a hundred dollars on slot machines.
Perhaps substituting a night of gambling for an evening at home watching television is good for spousal relationships. The problem isn’t the gambling; the problem is addiction. And that is a health issue.
We too do not like to see people spend money that they cannot afford…like buying houses. How far can we go in telling people how to live their lives?
I don’t think they’re talking about taxes ON gaming. I think they’re suggesting that gambling often produces significant monetary losses and that the lower classes tend to be most attracted to the activity.