Next month marks two years since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast. But, while businesses, churches and residents in the community struggle to pick up the financial pieces, casinos in New Orleans and Biloxi report record-setting profits. How is that possible?
Casinos are generating more revenue with fewer players because of all the financial assistance going to the area, according to Evelio Silvera with Casino Watch.
“It’s a sad state for every federal taxpayer and for every insurance customer, because money that’s supposed to rebuild an area is lining the pockets of a few greedy casino businessmen,” Silvera told Family News in Focus.
Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said it’s disheartening to watch the gambling industry flaunt these earnings.
“The sad thing is the casinos are smiling and whistling all the way to the bank," he said, "while these people continue to live in boxes and under trees.”
Gene Mills, executive director of the Louisiana Family Forum, said there can be only one winner in this scenario.
“In Louisiana, they falsely advertise that if you play every day, you’ll get lucky every night," he said. "And the statistics just show us that the only ones who really get lucky are the ones who are receiving the monies, not the ones expending those monies.”
The New York Times reports that Harrah’s, New Orleans' largest casino, is on pace for its best year ever. Its gambling revenue is up 13.6 percent in the first five months of 2007.
