Shipboard gambling may be viable option

About 20 gambling-related bills are slated to come before the state legislature this season. Gambling proponents argue the economic advantage of such options as a state lottery, race horse betting, and shipboard gambling.

In light of recent federal studies that show that only two percent of the U.S. population shows tendencies toward gambling problems, perhaps it is time the legislature took a closer look at the state policies on the pastime.

While concern for our land and tourist areas is understandable, shipboard gambling is a completely viable alternative. Shipboard gambling would allow Hawai`i to reap some of the financial benefits of legalized gambling, while avoiding some of its downfalls.

Gambling, itself, is not the problem Hawai`i is concerned with; the majority of problems associated with gambling come from the effects it has on local areas. Shipboard gambling would allow us to prevent these effects while still improving the economy.