A number of states are just getting into casino gambling, but in Michigan a poll found that residents there are tapped out.
The poll found 60 percent are opposed to more casinos. Another 26 percent said there are already too many casinos. Just 12 percent in the poll want more casinos in the state. Disclaimer: the poll was conducted for a coalition of Michigan casino operators opposed to plans to add as many as 22 more casinos. So take the results with a grain of salt.
But the interesting takeaway is how many residents have had a chance to experience casinos and realize they do more harm than good. That’s a big shift from almost 20 years ago when casinos were being touted as a way to help revitalize Detroit.
That has not panned out too well: Detroit is now facing bankruptcy.
It is hard to see how adding more casinos will help Detroit. Instead, the city needs to reduce its costs and find more sustainable ways to generate tax revenue. Stripping wealth from residents hoping to get lucky at a casino is not a viable form of economic development. The casino experience in Detroit and across Michigan is something other states should consider before heading down the same wrongheaded path.