ROSS JONES, CARRARA

YOU’D have to be living under a rock to miss the recent news about Crown Casino and its involvement with the “dark” side of gambling. The story has everything from Chinese triads using the casino to launder black money to the alleged involvement of politicians from both major parties “making things easier” for the casinos and possibly fasttracking visas for high rollers.

Meanwhile, the plan to have a second casino on the Gold Coast carries on as though this one won’t have any of the problems that Crown is experiencing and are experienced in some shape or form by most other casinos.

The global tourism hub (GTH) seems to have a casino as an integral part of the proposal but why is this so when many residents don’t want one? As the Bulletin reported on Wednesday, Gold Coasters have been kept in the dark not only about the possible location but about why we’re to have one in the first place. State politicians on both sides have reduced the argument to how many pokies should be allowed, showing that they consider a second casino a forgone conclusion. No wonder people like Tim Costello from the Alliance for Gambling Reform is calling for a Royal Commission into the gambling industry.

Politicians can no longer be trusted to be objective on this issue and taxpayers not only have to fund what turns out to be secret reports but often bear the brunt of gambling losses and related family breakdown. There’s also the issue of allowing, if not attracting, criminals into our midst.

Promising us jobs and tourism revenue is tempting but couldn’t this be achieved without a second casino? Where’s the politician who will advocate for a GTH without one? The Gold Coast deserves better.