When I was a lad in the 1930s and 40s large scale gambling was illegal. There was a small handful of places that paid off the the right people so they could operate; the Big House in the Harbor, a place on Washington Street in Gary, and another on Ridge Road just west of Grant Street. And, of course, The Club on 5th Avenue always had some action going. But that was penny-ante stuff compared to today.
Latest data from the boats indicate they took in $89.1 million in September -- almost $3 million per day! Our state lottery wants to outsource its marketing and distribution systems to increase the profits by $100 million per year!
Realize where that kind of money is coming from. The rich people don't mess with this kind of extremely poor odds gambling; they know better.
This is money that should be allocated to food, shelter, health, clothing, etc. These gambling venues are nothing more than another hidden tax foisted on the working classes.
- James McClellan Portage
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