Does Prince George’s Have a Gambling Problem?
While debate rages over gambling locations in county, police say illegal betting is a growing problem.
Amid a debate in Annapolis on a proposal for legalizing gambling in Prince George’s County, police say underground gambling in the county is on the rise.
In recent weeks, investigators in the county have been cracking down on unauthorized gambling facilities. Last week, investigators took sledgehammers to gambling machines in Temple Hills, dismantling them, according to The Washington Post.
As state officials wrestle over legislation to allow gambling at proposed casinos in National Harbor in Oxon Hill and Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, raids on illegal “mini-casinos” or underground gambling locations in the county have become more common. Police recently raided a District Heights Laundromat after a gambler told police that he had lost $5,000 to the illegal slot machines, according to the Post.
Police told the Post that slot machines in the county have become commonplace.
“It seems like every direction we turned — slot machines,” police Sgt. Laurie Hall, who is in charge of Prince George’s anti-gambling enforcement, told Post reporters.
Do you think Prince George’s County has a gambling problem? Let us know in the comments section.
Adrianne
4:35 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
What better reason to make it safe and legal, then?
Dana Schwartz
10:30 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
So you think it's OK for those addicted to gambling to lose their savings, and for someone else's town to get the crime associated with gambling, as long as the state gets a cut of the action?
Michael B. Cron
11:19 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Things are tough enough already. I absolutely despise the fact that the State of Maryland is resorting to reducing its budget shortfalls with money "stolen" from hard working citizens and others who think they can beat the odds. The state needs to cut spending across the board! Education in this state should be the priority. The state wants to cut about 8 million dollars from the University of Maryland at College Park and millions more from others across the state. The state lottery system should redirect its windfall profits to state colleges and local school systems instead of the bloated "Stadium Authority". Who needs another stadium? Our children can't get decent jobs because they can't read! If they can't read they will not be able to earn enough money to afford the ticket prices to see a game at these new stadiums! Where are the State's priorities??? I dare our local state administrators to ask the really important questions and do what they have been elected to do! I dare them to fight harder for our children's education and stop wasting time fighting over a damn casino!
Danny
7:31 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
maryland has, as a whole, better schools than any other state in the US, according to one recent national study (http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/01/12/maryland-schools-ranked-first-in-the-nation-again/). many of us who went to public school in MD actually can read, thank you very much. one can oppose gambling and stadium construction without the histrionics.
Dick Henthorn
9:26 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Living in Prince George's County and the state of Maryland has become "one big crap shoot." The citizens of Maryland can't get enough gambling. It would take a miracle to put a stop to both illegal and legal gambling. Do people who are against raising taxes realize that legal gambling is the way that the state creates "voluntary taxation?" BTW, the idea that we need more legal gambling to stop the illegal gambling is just plain silly.
Michael B. Cron
11:59 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
"They" = a percentage of Maryland public school graduates who after twelve years of education lack the needed skills to better themselves or compete in an incredibly competitive job market.
Pachacutec
10:28 am on Friday, March 23, 2012
Even if they DO legalize gambling, illegal gambling has been around since "forever," and will continue to be around.
Barry
11:34 am on Friday, March 23, 2012
Same could be said of prostitution and drugs.