Slot Machines are Not a Problem

According to a recent report slot machines have not caused any problems for a local B.C. neighborhood. The city report says that the slot machines that are located at Hastings Park had not been a problem, although many thought that they would be. There has not been an increase in prostitution, slot machine or gambling addiction, or any kind of increased crime since the slot machines came in.
 
There were those that said that all of those things would happen if the slot machines were allowed to come in, and the report debunks these fears. The report shows that break ins and motor vehicle thefts have actually gone down – as well as reports of assaults. The government had been maintaining that 4.65% of adults have some sort of slot machine or gambling addiction, but this was not addressed in the report.
 
The slot machines were not included in a provincial problem gambling prevalence study that was performed in 2008 and some argue that this number has to have gone up since the slot machines came in. However, they do not seem to have any clear numbers on gambling addiction or how it is related to the slot machines. However, they say that there has been a decrease in crime and that should count for something.
 
Many residents were thrilled when the slot machines came in as they said that they brought in much needed jobs. They argued that they were not worried about the crime increasing and they felt that it would go down as people had jobs. More than half of all of their employees at the slot machine casino/track are from the neighborhoods that surround the track.

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