Genting is a global gambling heavyweight, and now the Malaysian company is throwing its weight around in an effort to bring commercial casinos to Florida. This St. Petersburg Times story offers some insights into the way Genting operates and some of the arguments the gambling industry makes to convince lawmakers to legalize casinos.

In an interview, the President of Genting America Colin Au responded to concerns about transforming Florida into Las Vegas; countered charges that his company is anti-Semitic and associated with the Chinese mafia; and provided a window into the company’s strategy to win friends and influence state lawmakers.

Genting has already unveiled plans to build a mega casino resort in Miami on the property where the Miami Herald newspaper is located. One interesting detail: Genting bought the Herald property and has allowed the struggling newspaper to remain there for two years rent free. Here’s a safe bet: don’t look for the Herald to come out too strongly against casinos in South Florida.

At first blush, it was heartening to read that the Maryland governor opposed efforts at the federal level to legalize Internet gambling. Could it be that Gov. Martin O’Mallley has seen the light and understands the social effects that come with gambling outweigh the tax benefits? Has the governor figured out that governments can’t gamble their way out of debt, the same way individuals can’t prosper at a casino?

Alas, no. O’Malley’s opposition stems from his fear that legalizing gambling at the federal level will cut into state gambling revenues. In other words, it’s fine for states to fleece their residents, but the feds should stay out of the gambling rackets. If gambling is so good for states when it comes to creating jobs and tax revenue, then the same economics should apply at the federal level.

O’Malley’s can’t square his support for state gambling with his opposition to federal gambling because gambling is bad at every level. It further shows how elected officials are hypocrites when it comes to gambling. When it comes to government gambling policies, elected leaders are more like corporate chieftains managing their finances from quarter to quarter, trying to beat earnings estimates as opposed to planning for long-term growth and value creation.

Asian community leaders opposed a plan to locate a casino in Philadelphia’s Chinatown section for fear many of their residents would get hooked on gambling. The casino never located in Chinatown but many residents have still found the casinos just a short drive away.

A recent story shows that Pennsylvania casinos have hired a high number of Asians in an effort to market and appeal to a demographic that likes to gamble. The story supports the fears of community leaders that casinos would attract an outsized number of Asians, leading to an increase in problem gamblers.

In fact, casinos know Asians are a goldmine to be tapped and treat them as such. That explains why casinos offers special table games, such as Pai Gow Poker, with Asian logos and lettering as well as Asian dealers. The Parx casino outside of Philadelphia added Asian table games and a noodle bar last year.

The effort follows moves by other casinos around the country to offer special gambling areas just for Asians. It seems offensive that the casino industry would so overtly capitalize on an ethnic group’s propensity to gamble knowing that the losses destroy lives and undermine the community. Asians with gambling problems are also less likely to seek help, which only further exacerbates the problem.

The influential St. Petersburg Times wrote a strong editorial that opposed the efforts to add commerical casinos in Florida.

In calling the gambling effort a “bad bet,” the paper rightly cited the increased social costs that comes with gambling; the lack of voter input in the process; the lack of an indepedent economic study; and how gambling would change the image of the state among other issues.

The paper said the casino industry is playing the formerly “antigambling, family-value Republicans” who control Tallahassee for suckers. “Blinded by promises of big cash in a bad economy, lawmakers desperate to create jobs, revenue and excitement are poised to bet the state’s reputation and quality of life,” the paper said. “It’s a terrible gamble.”

It’s good to see the newspaper take such a strong stand early in the process. But if the history in other states is a guide, the gambling fever that has hit so many state lawmakers will be tough to stop. The expansion of gambling is a true failure of elected officials to manage budget troubles in a responsible way. Any short-term gain from gambling tax revenue is not worth the long-term costs.

Two days ago we did a post on parents who left an infant left in a car out a casino in Colorado. Now, a mother left her 8-year-old daughter in a car outside a casino in Pittsburgh.

It is a coast to coast problem. As the headline above indicates, this is the seventh post on kids abandoned in cars outside of casinos since last June. These cases are extreme examples of the addictive nature of gambling. It is also a steady reminder that elected officials in state after state have legalized and partnered with an industry that drives customers to put their own childrens’ lives at risk.

Should the government really be in the business of enabling such a dangerous and addictive business? This is not a responsible public policy. While the parents are clearly responsible for their childrens’ welfare, the lawmakers and the casino industry are co-conspirators in this effort and likewise shoulder some of the responsibility.

A House committee plans to hold a hearing on Internet gambling, marking the first step down the misguided path that will allow for a casino in every home and mobile phone.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) introduced a bill to legalize online poker in June after the Obama administration shut down much of the illegal gambling industry in April. Barton called the current law is a lose-lose. Perhaps. But while illegal gambling is wrong, making it legal won’t suddenly make it right.

It will only lead to a rapid expansion of problem gamblers leading to an increase in social ills. It will especially make it easier for younger kids to gamble. any increase in spending on gambling – even among responsible gamblers – is just money that won’t get spent on other goods and services. As such, allowing more gambling is not a productive policy measure that benefits society in any material way.

Donald Trump has teamed with a hedge fund to create a virtual casino company. The joint-venture is gearing up in anticipation of states or the federal government legalizing online gambling, which is currently prohibited in the United States.

The online gambling storm is gathering steam like tsunami. At least a half dozen states have bills pending tied to the legalization of online gaming. Another six to 10 states are studying the issue. A similar measure has been proposed at the federal level. Richard “Skip” Bronson, chairman of U.S. Digital Gaming Inc., a Beverly Hills, Calif. technology company for Internet wagering, predicts online gambling will spread across the country the same way state lotteries grew from one state in 1964 to 43 states today.

Trump’s daughter said the ‘Trump brand’ will be powerful magnate for gamblers. Trump’s name is indeed well known. But his track record in the gambling business has been one bust after another. His casino company has filed for bankruptcy three times. When it comes to casinos, Trump obviously doesn’t have the Midas touch. But like an addicted gambler, he keeps coming back for more.

The mayor of Vancouver wants a moratorium on more casinos in his beautiful city.  Mayor Gregor Robertson’s opponent supports a plan to build a larger casino in the heart of the downtown. The opposing stances will give voters a clear choice come election day.

Canada experienced a dramatic increase in legalized gambling in the 1990s, primarily because of governments’ need to increase revenue without additional taxation. But many residents are coming to understand that gambling is no panacea. The increase in gambling addiction, family dysfunction and gambling by youth has sparked debates regarding the impact casinos have on the quality of life.

The explosion of casinos in Canada and the ensuing public concern about the impact of gambling is a harbinger of things to come in the United States where gambling is rapidly expanding across the country.

As Florida lawmakers once again gear up to legalize commercial casinos, rest assured there will be talk of setting aside money to treat the increase in gambling addicts that will come from adding more casinos.

But such promises are unlikely to materialize as this piece details. In fact, the track record shows that gambling addicts in Florida are pretty much on their own. Money that was to go to treatment back when voters expanding gambling several years ago has been diverted to other uses. The same thing often happens in other states.

Gambling treatment get shortchanged even while state lawmakers are helping to create more and more problem gamblers. The very fact that money needs to be set aside to help problem gamblers should give lawmakers some pause as to what, if any, benefits come from gambling.

For months, Gov. Pat Quinn has been asking tough questions about casinos in Illinois and sending signlas that he was not in favor of such a move. He took the time to study the issue and said all the right things about the problems surrounding gambling. But Quinn has finally proposed his plan and it’s merely a scaled down version of the one backed by state lawmakers.

Quinn’s measure would add several casinos around state, including one in Chicago. His big pushback is to oppose adding slot machines at racetracks and airports. Big deal. Once casinos are legalized, all the social ills will follow. Just prohibiting slot machines at the airport and race track won’t prevent the problems that will come from the other casinos.

Quinn’s tough talk and public stance are at odds with one another. He says the state should not try to be the Las Vegas of the Midwest. But then he endorses a masive expansion of casinos across the state. This was the fear all along with Quinn. He says one thing and does another. Rather than standing up to the ills of casino gambling, Quinn will give the industry three-quarters of the loaf. Rest assured: once casinos are legalized and Quinn leaves office, the gambling industry will be back pushing to add the slots at the racetracks and airports.

Quinn has opened the door for casinos. Once he signs the bill to allow some casinos, he will forever be known as the governor who legalized gambling in Illinois. For all of Quinn’s bluster, legalizing gambling will be his legacy.