BestCraps.com

Ups and Downs of PA Casinos

Posted on September 13th, 2010

News Sponsored by Online Vegas Casino

Rated 5 Stars by BestCraps.com

Read Review

Visit Casino

Download Software

————————————————

With the opening of gaming facilities in the state of Pennsylvania in the past years, analysts have already gotten their hands dirty started examining the pros and cons of the industry. The effects of having two large casinos, the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Mount Airy Casino Resort and the increase of the number of table games in the facilities have been seen as a bringer of both positive and negative changes in the fields of economics and society to the communities surrounding them. On the positive side, casino supporters have been quick to point out that the first benefit of the presence of gambling facilities is employment generation.

Thousands of jobs have been created, thanks to these casinos. That is 12,700 opportunities to be exact, in the state of Pennsylvania with 1/3 of them, or 4,460 jobs coming from the increase of table games alone. Aside from job creation, another plus for casinos would be their contributions to the revenue of the state. Because of the taxes that these facilities funnel to the coffers of Pennsylvania, the state can now afford to decrease taxes on property, continue funding projects for communities and thus spur economic growth. Lastly, as they attract gamers from even outside the state, receipts from tourism-related businesses have also increased.

With these positive effects also come negative social costs that groups such as pro-family and religious organizations claim cannot be ignored. From an economic standpoint, more people who have got addicted to gambling have reported mote debts and bankruptcies. These problems have also resulted to morality-focused concerns such as theft and other crimes against property. The incidences of patients having mental health issues and the rate of divorce have also increased primarily due to gambling, with statistics from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania supporting them. Groups opposing and critical of casinos are also quick to point out that people’s discretionary income is now directed towards spending in casinos and less in other businesses. The council for the first eight months of the year claims it has already received 2,295 calls from people who want to seek help with their addiction to gambling and other concerns with regard to casinos. According to council executive Jim Pappas, the calls have revealed that these gamblers spend 557 hours a week on the average in a casino. Other callers have reported that the time they have spent in the casino is not much of a problem as they money the bet and eventually lose.

In 2006, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs has caused businesses surrounding it, not to mention the gaming business itself, to boom. Located on Route 315, additional 10 restaurants, two bars, 82 table games, 2,500 slot machines and a harness racetrack have been added to the facility through the years. Robert Tamburro, who owns a restaurant within half a mile from the casino claims that his business has certainly improved due to the casino. Traffic in the area has increased, and he has been seeing a lot of new patrons more often since 2006. Tamburro is also a partner of a real estate firm, TFL Limited, which has interests in the Wilkes-Barre area. He says that because of the increase in traffic on Route 315, the firm’s developments are now inching closer to the casino. Although there are plans by the Native American owners of the Mohegan Sun to build a hotel with 300 rooms on its property, owners of lodging facilities as added attractions in the area, not exactly threatening competition.

Meanwhile, Mount Airy Casino Resort, since its 2007 opening has also caused an increase in business and tourism in the area where it stands. It had also expanded recently by adding 72 table games. It already has a complex made up of an 18-hole golf course, 188 hotel rooms, five restaurants, a spa, salon, nightclub and a gambling facility with 2,500 slot machines. Businesses around the area where Mount Airy is located are also happy to report additional revenues because of the casino’s presence. Tour operators in the area are now gearing towards offering more tours featuring Pennsylvania casinos rather than pushing for Atlantic City casinos.