Boston City Councilor Althea Garrison is worried about the impact casinos will have on Boston residents especially senior citizens.
During the last city council meeting, Garrison called for a hearing looking into preventing exploitation of seniors because of casinos. Encore Boston Harbor, located in Everett but on the boarder of Boston, is expected to open at the end of June.
“I foresee this being a major issue for residents of Boston,” said Garrison. “Senior citizens are traditionally the most loyal customers to casinos.”
Garrison stated that senior citizens often have limited income and 10 percent of seniors are at risk of severe financial problems because of gambling.
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), seniors are the fastest growing group of gamblers. A study found that gambling was the most frequent social activity for those 65 and older. Another study found that about half of all visitors to casinos in the U.S. are 50 or older, and about 70 percent of those who belong to this age group will gamble at least once in any given year
“They use manipulation tactics and resources to get their money,” said Garrison.
“We need to eradicate predatory marketing to seniors and find concrete ways to help seniors,” she added.
Representatives from the City of Boston and other interested parties are invited to attend the hearing.
There has been recent drama surrounding Encore Boston and its opening. There was talk that Wynn Resorts could be selling Encore MGM. However, officials at Encore told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission there would not be a sale and they still plan to open their doors on June 23rdat 10 a.m.
Encore recently got the approval to sell alcohol to 4 a.m. at the casino. The casino can sell alcohol to gamblers on the floor until 4 a.m. however restaurants and nightclubs need to stop selling at 1 a.m.
Councilor Althea Garrison’s concerns on the impact the new Encore Casino 🎰🎲 will have on seniors “they use manipulation tactics and resources to get their money” Funny :::: I wonder if the councilor has heard of the MA state lottery?
She assumes that seniors all have gambling issues. If that be the case, then if they can make laws that limit gambling to those over 21, why can’t they make laws that just say only between ages of 21 and 65. Make sure that just applies to gambling. If we can’t gamble, we still need to be able to drink and buy guns.
The councilor should be more concerned about the impact of the legalization of sports betting (& believe me it’s coming to MA) than seniors going to a Casino.Sports betting is far more addictive and attracts a much younger audience to introduce to gambling and hooks some of them for life.Seniors going to a casino to play bingo or keno or some slots is a fun day out for them.
Why a councilor would concern themselves with adults making their own adult decisions is beyond me. Focus on the numerous other city needs that should be addressed.
All that glitters is not necessarily Gold. I love the thoughts of seeing entertainment at the casino, but never for one
minute think there are not going to be serious problems. I feel bad for the Everett Police who are going to take the
brunt of this. Seniors are at big effect of gambling. Some seniors have been known to eat cat food so they can go
gamble. The serious problems are going to be those who win stand a very big chance of getting robbed outside of
the casino while walking to their cars. The crime rate will definitely increase in & around the Everett Area and I hope
and pray that State Police are involved in protecting the patrons because like it or not, we are going to need them.
The Seaport, the Jewel of Boston, is protected by the State Police. Is the Risk worth the Reward, for the city and
state, absolutely, the Revenue will be astronomical, but for the patrons it could be a disaster. Money the Root of
all Evil, will probably be the Winner.
It was voted on and approved. Clearly the citizens of Everett felt it was worth the risk.
Maybe she should’ve thought of this before the casino was approved? Seems grandstanding now…
It’s called Monday morning quarterbacking.Like Marty Walsh complaining about the Encore Casino being allowed to serve liquor until 4AM even though he proposed the same thing for the bars in Boston?
Anonymous, Sometimes people have to learn by their mistakes, and others always pay that price
why just because we are seniors does not mean we don’t have any common sense. I could not know what I would feel like if someone said I was to old to play. me and my sisters would go to conn. on our birthdays and had great times you have a plan how much to spend each day, that it lets party and don’t worry about us. ok……………………….