Letter: Novelty would fade for casinos on LI
Nassau and Suffolk counties each received approval in 2013 to open gambling parlors with up to 1,000 video slot machines, also called video lottery terminals, as part of the state's massive gambling expansion. Above, video slot machines are seen at Resorts World Casino in Queens on July 27, 2012. Credit: Nancy Borowick
The seemingly never-ending discussion about casinos in Nassau and Suffolk counties has been anything but boring [“Study: Casino site to earn less,” News, Feb. 14]. However, these discussions have been utterly lacking as to what the real problem is likely to be. These casinos have no long-term future.
After five years or so, Long Islanders will have satisfied their curiosity. They will have checked out the casinos once or twice, then the novelty will wear off.
Being a somewhat isolated island community, the two casinos’ dwindling clientele will become more of the hard-core gambling type.
So what’s left? The first few years will be good, leading to political patronage. The Off-Track Betting organizations will bloom and bloat and become unaffordable. It’s happened before.
Leopold Zambri, Lake Ronkonkoma
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