Any legislator who says he doesn't see the downside hasn't done his homework

While advocates of legalized gambling say it brings in revenues needed for education and other uses, it actually has led to higher taxes, loss of jobs, economic disruption of non-gambling businesses, increased crime and higher social-welfare costs

One to 2 percent of the population becomes addicted gamblers

Gambling drains the economy by taking money away from grocery stores and retail businesses and putting it in the hands of an industry that produces no product

Casinos don't bring business except for the gambling boys

Besides creating more compulsive gamblers, money spent on lotteries isn't spent on other goods such as clothing or computers, which would trickle through to retailers, manufacturers and other parts of the economy

27 percent to 55 percent of casino revenues come from problem or pathological gamblers