News
While there are no plans to open a Mohegan Sun casino on Maynard Street, risk-taking students may soon be able to legally quench their desires for gambling just over an hour away from campus.
The New Hampshire legislature is contemplating Senate Bill 225, which would allow for over 6,000 computer gambling machines across the state and gambling in three hotels located in northern New Hampshire.
The bill's sponsor, Senator Lou D'Allesandro, D-Manchester, said the bill is aimed at fixing the state's projected budget deficit of nearly $250 billion.
But critics of the bill believe it will lead to an increase in gambling addictions while fueling embezzlement, child abuse, alcoholism and crime.
Jim Rubens, who heads the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, opposes the bill because he thinks it conjures an image of government supported gambling addictions.
"This is the same reason we don't legalize crack cocaine parlors," he said, adding that the bill would create an additional 3,000 pathological gamblers.
In an e-mail to supporters, he wrote, "Casinos are the only budget fix that would damage our state's reputation as a healthy, family-friendly place to live, work and visit."
Bill proponents dismissed Rubens' concerns.
"It's not true," D'Allesandro said in reference to social problems from gambling.
