Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

House Subcommittee Hears Testimony On Social Costs Of Casinos

Slots
Jeff Kubina
/
Flickr Creative Commons

Testimony turned emotional today as a House subcommittee considered the social costs of allowing a casino in New Hampshire.   Most of the comments focused on studies of gambling behavior and public policy.  The exception was Mell Brooks, of Littleton.  He discussed his five years as a restaurant owner in Oregon, where he was allowed to have five video slot machines. 

“It was not unusual at all--and usually it was in a storm of emotion—that one of the spouses would come in and physically remove their husband or wife from one of my machines, because they had gambled away the family savings," Brooks said.  "And as I speak to you, I can picture and see all this going on, that used to happen.  And I’m getting chill bumps right now, because of the effect from it.”

Other testimony focused on the potential increases in crime and drunk driving.  Previously, the State Troopers and New Hampshire Police Association came out in support of the bill.

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.