Legalized gambling in Hawaii Essay

The streets of Las Vegas Boulevard, which are littered with advertisements picturing naked girls willing to provide their services for a price, can be a scary place as someone takes a stroll. Drunk men stumble out of strip clubs and casinos, and girls in gaudy clothing and stilettos apply lipstick at their post. Nobody knows when someone lurking in the shadows might pop out with a knife to steal an unsuspecting person’s wallet. Or even worse, a friendly-looking stranger walking in the opposite direction could be waiting to come across the right person to drag into a dark alley, muffle their screams so that their cries for help blend into the noisy background of the streets, and do the unthinkable. The tolerance of drugs, prostitution, gambling, 24-hour liquor sales, gang violence, and the emphasis on the nightlife give Las Vegas its nickname, Sin City. Also known as The Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas is a world-wide attraction for people from all walks of life. Whether visitors are seeking relaxation in one of Las Vegas’s five-star hotel casinos along with entertainment, gambling, shopping, and fine dining; employment or a new home in the nation’s fastest growing community, or the permissible use of money for sex-related services; Las Vegas thrives off of their tourism industry. Sometimes referred to as Hawaii’s ninth island, Las Vegas is a popular vacation spot for residents of Hawaii. Seeing as how Hawaii, along with Utah, is one of the only two states in the country where gambling is illegal, Hawaii residents visit Las Vegas to delight in part in guilty pleasure. Every week, as many as 3,000 people from Hawaii visit Las Vegas, and a growing amount of former Hawaii residents have made Sin City their new home (www. visitlasvegas. com). Facing billion dollar deficits and on the prowl for ways to increase revenue, Hawaii law makers have brought into question whether legalizing gambling would be a beneficial way of economic development. Dennis Arakaki, head of the Hawaii Family Forum and Hawaii Catholic Conference says, â€Å"people in Hawaii like gambling, but they realize it is not a very good idea to legalize it. Gambling isn’t a good way to deal with your financial problems, either personally or as a state. † Although gambling bills are pitched every year, Republican Governor, Linda Lingle is against the introduction of gambling to the islands (The Philadelphia Inquirer). In fact, the legalization of gambling in Hawaii is misleading in terms of increasing revenue and employment opportunities for the state. It will take away from the beauty and culture of the islands that visitors come to see. Although gambling supporters tend to leave this part out, the legalization of gambling will bring the hidden impact of gambling addiction to many people of Hawaii. Allowing gambling to be legal won’t necessarily rid the state of its billion dollars of debt. While gambling is a way to make money, The Drake Law Review says that figures are overestimated as a way of persuading government officials to allow gambling into our community. For example, in Quincy, Illinois, a betting parlor was estimated to bring in 200,000 dollars in tax revenue. Its actual earnings turned out to be barely one-third of that estimated figure. The future of the economy cannot always be predicted accurately. Therefore, to say that a gambling establishment will bring in a certain amount of money is literally taking a gamble. What the Drake Law Review is saying is that the amount of revenue is knowingly exaggerated as a way of misleading the community to think it is a way to get rich quick. It is also usual for gambling businesses, most of which hold government franchises, to request and receive five-year tax waivers. The building of new hotel casinos will surely create more jobs; however, the Illinois Business Review conducted a study showing the over-optimism in the expectancy of jobs. When comparing the employment and unemployment rates from before and after the introduction of gambling in Illinois, the opening of over 7,000 new jobs were not beneficial. It did not decrease the unemployment rate because most of the people who were hired for the new jobs were simply shifting from previous employment. The slight increase of employment could have been attained without legalizing gambling. Research done by the New Mexico Coalition Against Legalized Gambling shows that the legalization of gambling, which is supposed to be a strategy for economic development, actually causes economic decline. A study done in South Dakota showing that the legalization of gambling caused a decline of interest in auto sales, retail, recreational services, business services, and all other services excluding those of hotel service, supports the opposition of bringing casinos to Hawaii. The study shows that legalization of gambling will have a negative impact on local businesses because people will choose to invest their money elsewhere. Instead of taking part in recreational activities such as heading down to Sea Life Park to swim with the dolphins, tourists might choose to invest their time and money gambling in a hotel casino. Instances like that, where money is going toward the prosperity of casinos, have a negative financial impact on local businesses. In Atlantic City, there was an increase in homelessness and crime after the introduction of casinos. The increase of the rate of crime led to a decrease of property value for many communities. Crime rates are on the rise in places where legalized gambling is prevalent. Some may see the legalization of casinos in Hawaii as a way to enjoy the beach, go for a hike, see a luau, and be able to stop off at a slot machine to have some fun before heading to their room, but in reality Hawaii is not about gambling. The term, Aloha Spirit, is the attitude Hawaii is famous for. This is a way of describing the overall kindness and friendly acceptance that residents portray. When looking at a 2006 crime rate chart comparing both Honolulu and Las Vegas, Las Vegas exceeds Hawaii in all categories. The following numbers are actual examples: murder, 17 to 152; robbery, 956 to 5,381; aggravated assault, 1583 to 6680; and vehicle theft, 6288 to 19677. According to cityrating. com, when looking at a population of one million in the cities of Las Vegas, Nevada and the Honolulu, Hawaii, both violent and property crime rate percentages in the city of Las Vegas are not only greater than Honolulu, but above the national crime rate average as well. This suggests that the association that the city of Las Vegas has with gambling may contribute to the increase of crime. Bringing the slots to our neighborhood means bringing all the cons that come with it, thus destroying the Aloha Spirit. The presence of hotel casinos in Hawaii will deteriorate and draw away from the beauty and the culture of the islands that visitors come to see. Year-round warm climate and the inviting outdoors of the playful ocean and mountainous scenery attract people to the tropics of Hawaii. Along with this, another selling point of Hawaii is the cultural experiences visitors take part in to learn about the history and ways of life in the islands during their stay. This makes Hawaii the ideal destination for family vacationing, as opposed to Las Vegas, which attracts visitors by means of their casino and entertainment industry, and is ultimately meant for those who are 21 and over. Violence and crime associated with the presence of gambling would lead communities to be deemed unsafe. Instead of visiting the islands to learn about the culture, tourists may spend more time at the slot machines. Gambling is a serious behavioral problem with its own signs, symptoms, and treatments, that if brought to Hawaii, brings residents closer to the risk of gambling addiction. Gambling is like a cigarette, people know it is harmful, yet they still do it. Quitting is hard and when the person finally realizes they want to quit, it is often times too late. According to (www. helpguide. org), a problem with gambling puts a strain on relationships, interferes with obligations and responsibilities at home or in the workplace, and leads to financial catastrophe. Gambling leads people to do things that they normally wouldn’t do such as steal money to gamble or repay debts, resort to drugs or alcohol to cope with depression, and violent behavior as a means of coping with situations. Statistics show unfavorable results for gamblers. Divorce rates amongst gamblers are double than that of non-gamblers. The suicide rate of gamblers is a whopping twenty times higher than that of non-gamblers, and one in five gamblers will attempt to take their own life. While gambling doesn’t become a dangerous addiction to everyone, a person with an addiction problem will effect those around them, whether they are family, friend, or stranger. Children who have parents who are addicted to gambling may become neglected and turn to gangs, drugs, or alcohol. Just as a child who has a parent who smokes is more likely to smoke, a child who has a parent who gambles is more likely to gamble as well. Passing a law that legalizes gambling in Hawaii and brings casinos to our neighborhood misleads people with over-optimistic promises of prosperity. In actuality, instead of economic development, legalized gambling will lead to economic downfall. Part of the downfall to legalizing gambling is taking away from the beauty and culture of the islands by bringing distractions and destruction. To destruct the culture is to shatter morality by exposing people to consequences of gambling addiction. As the saying goes, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Have you ever thought that maybe there is a reason why people like to leave what happens in Las Vegas behind? Works Cited Niesse, Mark. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Associated Press Gambling Causes Economic Decline. New Mexico Coalition Against Legalized Gambling â€Å"crime rates†. . â€Å"gambling addiction†. . â€Å"tourism†.