The Newhouse News Service reports Gaming Industry Could Be Next Target of a Big Tobacco-Type Lawsuit:
It could be a slots-to-suits story for the nation's casinos.I wonder how the Indians are going to take this? And what happened to the junk food lawsuits? Dang, it's hard to keep up!
From legal and academic scholars to social activists, a growing number of industry experts say gaming's deep pockets could be the next target for the kind of mega-lawsuits filed against Big Tobacco.
Gambling opponents have long charged that casinos fuel addiction and say the states that welcome casinos don't do enough to battle what they argue is a burgeoning public health crisis. But casino executives and even addiction counselors have said casinos don't cause compulsive gambling. They maintain, rather, that a certain percentage of the population is predisposed to addiction.
While it is unclear what effect such lawsuits could have, as no such action has been filed, casino companies are taking threats of litigation seriously and are watching two ongoing cases in Ontario and Indiana.
