Lawmakers are enabling gambling addictions

A recent letter seeking increased regulation on video gambling due to addiction levels does not help resolve the core issues. Lobbyist and establishments that support the gambling seek increased revenue; this appears to be an understandable plea. Legislators who approve gambling are seeking ways to make up for revenue shortages due to fiscal imbalances; this appears to be enacting a reasonable strategy.

But in a society that would hopefully seek more personal responsibility, video gambling preys on the people who are most susceptible. It steals their hope away with the illusion they can be entertained, when in fact they are being dealt a losing hand by the very stewards of our society who are here to serve it. We don’t need more regulation on video gambling, we need legislative bodies that do not enable addictions to cover their own ills.

As for the people seeking entertainment, a couple of worthwhile options are to pass on the hours spent video gambling and volunteer to coach our youth or assist in community development projects and teams that have a much stronger likelihood of bringing home some real wins.

Gerald Bromley

Schaumburg