My name is Bill Kearney, I am a anti-gaming activist and former compulsive casino gambling degenerate who's been educating the citizens of our state and others throughout our country and other countries on the pitfalls of what the gaming industry and an alarming number of our government officials call a form of entertainment, no different then going to the ballpark or theater. I am also the author of a novel titled “COMPED.” The novel is based on the HighRoller life I once lived and the price I paid when living it up and doubling down in the Atlantic City casinos in the early 80’s.
The information and videos I've sent you will give you an idea of what I’m going to accomplish here in Pennsylvania. And when that day comes it won’t be the same as what they say in Vegas, which is, ‘What happens here stays here.’ No, my safeguard will be adapted in every commercial casino in our country and that will stop the casino predators from breeding law abiding citizens into casino gambling degenerates.
Here's two videos that explain what I'm doing to stop casinos from destroying individuals and families.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=4163619
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=4185500
For over twenty years I've been addressing and proving that there are major flaws in gaming laws throughout our country. In other words, there is no safeguards or provisions in place that will protect today's casino gamblers and future casino gamblers from becoming what I once was. Casinos are operating like amusement parks with no safety belts or cages on their ride. There is absolutely no consumer protection.
Now it's true that our Gaming Laws address the compulsive casino gambling problem with things like a 1-800 GAMBLER get help number, and a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week hotline that provides crisis counseling. There's also a self-exclusion list for those who become addicted to the casino product. That in itself should raise a red flag questioning how safe is this entertainment venue to have such a provision. What other industry or product do you know of that has a Self Exclusion Program? But all of these provisions address the obsessive gambling problem after one becomes a casino gambling junkie. So my question is, why are we waiting for the casualties to come home.
I've been trying my best even before our gaming bill passed in 2004 to sway those Pennsylvania legislators who brought the casino plague upon us along with the members of our newly formed Gaming Control Board to make our billion dollar gaming operators adapt to real safeguards. Things like not letting the casinos cash any checks. (Pa. casinos are allowed to cash personal checks up to $2,500 in a 24-hour period, a check can only be written for up to $499.00 each, but the casino will cash 5 checks at one time. And here’s the kicker, the casinos are not cashing these checks themselves; they are using a third party, what is known as a secure check cashing company. These companies guarantee the casino operator the money even if the check goes bad. The secure check company operates with the history and activity of the checking account; they are not allowed to check the balance of the checking account. So let’s say a casino patron has a good history and activity in their checking account but only has $500.00 balance. Now they are in the casino and they blow their $500.00 balance, but in their mind the slot machine they been feeding with all its close hit and near misses is ready to blow. So they back to the cashier in hope to cash another check and they are approved. This goes on until they reach the $2500.00 limit and have cut close to $2000.00 in bad checks. Now I’m not saying the casino patron is not at fault, but what I am saying is, why make it easy for casino patrons to become criminals)And so patrons don't gamble on credit, take away any type of credit card usage on or around the casino floor. (Pa. casinos by law are not aloud to issue any from of credit, yet at the ATM machines on the casino floor a casino patron can get cash advancements from their credit card company. Now if the casino operator is receiving money whether it is from a percentage of every transaction or a rental fee for having the ATM machines, wouldn’t that make the casino operator part of that LOAN transaction) And I'm sure there's a few of us who after a few to many have done something stupid, so why are we letting the casino operators medicate those who are already doing something stupid, No free booze. And do we really need these joints open 24/7, have you been in a casino on a week day during those early morning hours, that's when I like to see our casino operators take our government officials on a tour through the casinos so they could witness pathological casino gambling in full bloom. And beings our casino operators are tracking their patrons money and time spent gambling with COMP-CARDS, let's make them send monthly statements. The COMP-CARD is their syringe; it's how they deliver their drug. These cards track every move the patron makes in the casino. This determines whether you're going to get the buffet or the penthouse suite. The comps or so-called freebies make some justify their losses as they become addicted.
Well it's been over four years and today there are seven casinos up and running here in Pa. with not one of these safeguards or provisions in place, once again, no consumer protection.
Today they’re two bills, one in our House of Representatives (HB 553) introduced by Rep. Clymer and one in our Senate (SB 734) introduced by Sen. Wonderling that will make the casino operators who are already tracking their patrons' money and time spent gambling with COMP-CARDS to send monthly statements. This would enable gamblers and their family members to spot a loved one's gambling problem before it gets out of hand.
What I'm trying to accomplish with legislation like the one making casino operators mail monthly statements which will make casino patrons aware of their money and time spent gambling isn't much deferent then what Ralph Nader did back in the 1960s. It was his work on car safety that led directly to seat belts and shatter-resistant glass being fitted in every American car. Now believe I'm in no way comparing myself to that guy, but I'm sure that I'm getting today as much grief as he did back in the day when he was dealing with those knuckleheads in Detroit and Washington.
You can help by contacting your state legislator and tell them you support this legislation.
Open these links to view Gov. Rendell and Pa. Gaming Control Board Chairwoman, the Honorable Mary DiGiacomo Colins opinion on casinos mailing out monthly statements.
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v14212064NrPDa82s
http://blip.tv/file/708064/
Open these seven links and watch how Pa.State Representatives who brought the casino plague upon us and our clueless Gaming Control Board members feel about preventing our loved ones from becoming casino gambling degenerates.
Part - 1
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15439288g2m632wY
Part - 2
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15473562XbGFwzWE
Part - 3
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15468899weyyxh3Y
Part - 4
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v154194266brME7PX
Part - 5
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15453618PdXydNSq
Part - 6
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15464477CT6a6SRr
Part - 7
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v154717308JT8m2Jx
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