To endorse gambling in Forest Park or anywhere else for that matter is just too big a risk to take for too many people. The stories which occur that concern not only addicts of gambling, but loved ones of those addicts are truly frightening. Perhaps one of the most damning of these stories was that of Art Schlichter, a 1970’s-80’s “can’t miss” quarterback who just might have been destined for the NFL Hall of Fame before he ever finished college. He signed a huge contract, gambled it all away, flopped as an NFL quarterback, continued to gamble after football, and is now in prison. He will likely never be able to satisfy his condition of restitution.
An extreme case to be sure, but what about typical addicts? I once heard from a source I would consider reliable that only three percent of those addicted to gambling who receive treatment for this problem actually recover. And so I ask again, is it really worth the risk to encourage gambling of any kind, anywhere?
David Meyer
Forest Park
