Negative effect of casinos

What will it profit the people who make their homes in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding areas to have a casino? It will only mean a substantial investment of dollars at the outset and little return in the long run.

Reports from other cities that have welcomed casinos and other forms of legalized gambling indicate that they have experienced a negative effect when the new allure of the casino wears off. You may not have trouble with a casino in our town, but what about the person who has a gambling addiction? This so-called wholesome activity in the city will no longer be wholesome. The blight will have hit us.

In the long run, I sincerely believe that casino entertainment would only result trouble for the people in Cape Girardeau. To confirm the potential problems of having a casino, please read summaries of nine reports of cities suffering from the results of a casino. You can find these results through an internet search for "Gambling's Effects on Local Businesses."

Join me in voting no on the casino ballot issue in Cape Girardeau.

GENE LOFTIS, Cape Girardeau