[Zack Nguyen]

I really do not care to speculate as to what "problem gamblers" would be doing if they weren't gambling. Such a question is unanswerable. What is plain is that gambling guts the social fabric wherever it is introduced. My state (Texas) will be facing this problem in a few years, and God help us if we let the wolf in the door.

[discostu]

I'm looking at the side effects. For instance the article says that problem gamblers are more likely to be spousal abusers than the norm. Now if there were no such thing as gambling would the people with that predilection still be more likely to be spousal abusers? I say yes.

As for gutting the social fabric, don't be so dramatic. Other than the commercials most people in Texas won't know anything changed. The problem gamblers are already finding a way, mostly illegal, the other gamblers are just taking vacations out of state. Life goes on.