Florida lawmakers, who are debating a broad expansion of legal state gambling, heard supposed expert testimony Friday about the social perils of increased gaming. The state House committee, which is considering legalizing full casino gambling, listened dubiously to unverified claims of social costs by Baylor economic professor Earl Grinols.
Grinols says casino gambling causes crime to rise from five to eight percent in surrounding communities, with burglaries and murders leading the increase. He also says revenue gains by governments are offset by negative effects including divorces, bankruptcies, and suicides.
But the anti-gambling zealot did not have proof to back up his wild statements. Several of the legislators hearing his testimony questioned the validity of his claims.
Representative Joe Gibbons hails from Hallandale Beach, where two racinos were established over the last two years. ``And in those last two years, our crime rate has gone down,'' Gibbons responded to Grinols.
Apparently,Mr Grinols is the President of Asssociation of Christian Economists,based
at Baylor University Texas.Their principles of economics are in part shaped by their religious beliefs.
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