Posted by
Billy on Thursday, December 10, 2009 5:48:53 PM
A man walks into a casino and spends $5 million at a slot machine.
He comes back and spends another $5 million, and then another and another and
another.
Is he a compulsive gambler or a rich guy having fun?
If he is a problem gambler, does the casino have a responsibility to protect
him from his compulsive behavior?
That's the question at the heart of high roller Terry Watanabe's lawsuit
against Harrah's Entertainment and two of its casinos: Caesars Palace and the
Rio.
The lawsuit filed by the Omaha philanthropist could have far-ranging
consequences for the casino industry in an age when people addicted to smoking,
for example, have successfully sued tobacco companies. (Dealing with problem gamblers )
Watanabe, accused of stiffing the Rio and Caesars Palace for millions of
dollars, may or may not have a case.
But the question of whether casinos have a responsibility to intervene on
behalf of compulsive gamblers may be ripe for a legal challenge, said William
Thompson, a University of Nevada-Las Vegas professor and gambling expert.
Thompson said the industry has “probably been holding its breath'' waiting
for a case “where the compulsive gambler has the evidence and it shows the
casino has exploited someone with a disease.
(I have a lot of mixed feelings on this case. First off I believe problem gamblers and their families need help. I hate what gambling does to men and women along with the damage it does to their families and children. At the same time shouldn't part of the blame be put on the gamblers because no one is holding a gun making them gamble. As I posted in another blog earlier today we should hope and pray those who have problems with gambling have a change in their heart and soul. Also we must not forget the impact gambling has on cities. Gambling brings crime and more people needing help. A Pastor here in Nebraska who was the head of a mission said some years back when the casinos came to Iowa more souls were coming to the mission for help. So there should be no debate that gambling has hurt America and our culture.)