Letter: ‘Open your eyes; gambling has been here for years’

I am confused. Sitting here reading the headline, “Gaming commissions get letters from Riley,” in the Dothan Eagle, I notice an advertisement on the television encouraging me to come to VictoryLand at Shorter depicting what looks to me to be slot machines.

Why is our governor spending scarce state resources working to prevent or eliminate “charitable” electronic bingo while open gambling casinos are operating throughout the state?

I know there are two casinos in the Wetumpka area and another in or near Atmore.

It seems the question is not whether there should or should not be gambling in Alabama. Folks, open your eyes, the sun is shining. Gambling is here and has been here for many years.

Therefore, it is only rational to regulate it and tax it appropriately rather than allow the slick operators to get rich by buying the legislature and governor to preserve their near monopoly.

I am not an advocate of gambling. Everyone knows that the house wins more than it pays to winners, and some gamblers lose control and lose more than they can afford.

Clarence Ebbinga
Enterprise