Dear Editor,
How ironic!
An article [Casino give City #1 million financial boost, Langley Advance, Jan. 10] lauds the benefits of the Cascades Casino and the good things it has done for Langley City. The revenues that have been raised have financed numerous projects in our area.
The next day in the first section of the Vancouver Sun there are two articles about casinos and gambling. One article addresses the ongoing probe of money laundering through casinos and how illegal groups, and gangs are taking full advantage of casinos in order to hide their law breaking activities. The second article addresses the tragic matter of gambling addiction and problem gamblers. Very real people, very broken families, all due to easy access to gambling.
I wonder what the real cost is to our community when you read of the other side of gambling; gangs, money laundering, addiction to gambling.
And by the way, revenue from casinos is money that people have lost there, often money they can ill afford to lose. Casinos may bring money, but they also bring trouble, crime, desperation, grief and despair. Oh, what a terrible cost!
Ginny VanderHorst, Langley City
