By Mark Morales , Daily News
A Queens lawmaker wants to make sure that local residents with gambling problems have access to counseling, especially after the Aqueduct racino opens this summer.
Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver recently asking that he set aside $60,000 in the state budget to create a gambling addiction prevention program in Queens."We know that there are people that are addicted to gambling and we should have something accessible where people can go and ask for help," she told the Daily News.
Pheffer's letter, dated Feb. 8, highlights the need to educate people about gambling addiction, noting that video lottery terminals are being installed at Aqueduct. Officials for the New York Council on Problem Gambling, a nonprofit group, said they received more than 200 calls from Queens last year looking for help - indicating that a prevention program is sorely needed.
James Maney, director of a non-profit dealing with problem gambling, said he would like to see an ad campaign cautioning people about gambling addiction, but fears the ads beckoning customers will drown out any warning. There's only going to be one message - 'Come gamble. It's a lot of fun,'" Maney said.
I wonder if Laredo's politicians give any thought whatsover to the possible gambling addiction problems that may arise as the result of a local racino. Will they just focus on the fun and fortune aspect of gambling and abandon those who fall victim to the toxic fallout?
I know many people are looking at the bottom-line but... maybe we should look at responsibility to community too. Most of the people that gamble (at bingos & maquinitas & now... racinos) tend to be those who can least afford it.
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