Casinos are facilities that allow legalized gambling activities. From its early beginnings, casinos have assumed that role. Recently, they have evolved into entertainment centers while retaining their origins.
Casinos aren't always welcome in some areas as some residents opposed gambling and the crimes usually associated with it. However, there are some who permit these facilities in their cities provided certain provisions are met. This article intends to discuss what casinos bring into communities.
Money When properly managed, casinos bring huge wealth into cities as gambling laws often require steep taxes from their operators. These taxes can then be used to provide much needed services to the communities they belong.
Entertainment Recently, casinos transformed themselves to accommodate entire families aside from the usual gamblers. Some casinos offer theme parks, luxurious hotels, sporting venues, department stores for everyone to enjoy. These amenities increase the income while inviting more visitors.
Tourism With its transformation into entertainment centers, casinos can now invite more tourists for other purposes other than gambling. Visitors, some from halfway across the globe, do not only visit these facilities to gamble but to watch a highly anticipated boxing match or even get married!
Increased Employment These changes forced casinos to employ heavily and is another important benefit for nearby communities. Casinos now require different workers to take care of its numerous facilities. From managers, chefs, entertainers, security guards and a whole lot more now enjoy rewarding careers.
Improving communities Cities most often profit from improved local services and infrastructure brought by increased revenues from taxes obtained from casinos. Hotels, restaurants and transportation hubs are often built near casinos while surrounding roads and areas are further developed or expanded to accommodate more structures. These improvements also benefit casinos with an increased number of visitors who come to gamble or avail of its entertainment centers.
These benefits are just a few that are usually brought by the presence of casinos in a city or community as believed by its proponents. There are however some disadvantages that are observed.
Crime Those who argue against the presence of casinos in their communities argue that crime rates increase. Despite stiff gambling laws, cheating persists and some believed that some operators do not pay full taxes. In some lax or improperly managed casinos, drugs, alcohol and prostitution exist and are either tolerated or ignored.
Addiction to Gambling There are also gamblers who become pathologically addicted to gambling that their lives and their families suffer as a result. While there are groups that help rehabilitate these people, some argue that having no casino in their communities at all is the best way to prevent it.
All of these benefits and disadvantages are seen and observed by residents of cities that host casinos. While it appears that the advantages outnumber the disadvantages, it should be noted that they are significant enough that these disadvantages should be wisely considered. Casinos can indeed bring fun to the family but it also poses some danger.
