“The Commissioners believe it is time to consider a pause in the expansion of gambling . . . to encourage governments to do what to date few if any have done: to survey the results of their decisions and to determine if they have chosen wisely.” — The National Gambling Impact Study Commission report.
PORTLAND, ORE. — Only a sucker would have bet that a multi-year study by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission would do much to change the amount of gambling in this country. The result was predictable before the study commission even began its work. The recommendation that lawmakers press the “pause” button on gambling expansion in order to study the issue generated headlines, but seems unlikely to generate much else, except perhaps studies that recommend even more studies.
