gamblers increase as well. Bankruptcy rates go up, and this cost is passed along to taxpayers and businesses. Krutz argues, "Considering as well the misery suffered by problem gamblers and their families ... gaming comes at a price most communities cannot afford."

As mentioned above, compulsive gamblers are a problem that goes along with having casinos in a community. Dan Hill argues that while casinos may work to help those with problems control their gambling, the problem isn't going away and is actually getting worse, given the proliferation of gambling now available in our culture. If nothing else, "What's needed, experts say, is a greater public awareness that compulsive gambling is a serious problem. They want more treatment options, more public education and a greater emphasis on the need to get help before it's too late."

An alternative to casinos is online gambling, but this poses its own risks and dangers, both to individuals and cities. Needed federal and local taxes go unpaid, and personal debt can become a great danger when credit cards are used to finance online gambling. Furthermore, online gambling creates fewer jobs than casino gambling does. Ryan Hammer notes, "Internet gambling is more addictive than other forms of gambling because it combines high-speed, instant gratification with the anonymity of gambling from home. The temptations that lead to compulsive gambling are as close as one's computer."

Another form of legalized gambling is the state lottery system. While it may appear innocuous, state lotteries take money from those who can least afford it: the poor. Poor people are the major players of the state lotteries, and lottery advertising is aimed at them. That states are dependent upon such a system underlines the essential wrongness of such a system, argues the Evangelical Lutheran Church. They write that "Through deception and by preying on their desperation, the state takes from the poor what they can little afford to give."

Resources
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "State Lotteries Prey on the Poor." Legalized Gambling. Ed. David M. Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006.
Grinols, Earl L. "Casino Gambling Causes Crime." Legalized Gambling. Ed. David M. Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006.
Hammer, Ryan D. "Internet Gambling Damages the Economy and Harms Society." Legalized Gambling. Ed. David M. Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006.
Horn, Dan. "Compulsive Gambling Is a Growing Problem." Legalized Gambling. Ed. David M. Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006.
Krutz, Jonathan. "Casinos Hurt Local Businesses." Indian Gaming. Ed. Stuart A. Kallen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006.

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