The house always wins

If ever there were a salutary example of the corrupting power of money over integrity, it would be found within the grubby portals of the glittering gambling halls (Rick Morton, “Casino within a casino: Star’s extraordinary breaches”, September 17-23). If government truly represented citizens’ welfare, statesanctioned gambling would not exist. But when government derives vast revenue from gambling, its duty of care appears subsumed by greed. Does this amoral revenue-raising justify the resulting devastation that enables addiction, mental health deterioration, domestic violence, poverty, relationship breakdown, fraud, corruption, organised crime and money laundering? It’s an abrogation of governance of the highest order. Yet, over and again, the scandals recede, the casinos retain their licences and, as Morton says, the house always wins.

– Alison Stewart, Riverview, NSW