Or in a Depression?
I have no current stats in front of me, just common sense and historical facts.
And the answer seems to be: pretty good, in general.
The Mafia-controlled numbers racket thrived for generations in the poverty-striken black ghettoes of America. Before that racket was taken over by state govts.
In chronically-depressed Third World lands like Mexico, the national lottery steals millions from its oppressed citizens. Chasing the dream . . .
During hard times fewer people have the spare dollars to bet big, but it seems that many more folks are willing to lay down some of the little they do have. Chasing dreams and for a little diversion from miserable reality.
All the major California racetracks were built during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Today, aside from lotteries where desperate people dream of wealth, Indian casinos, those near major metro areas especially, with no long drives, should be thriving.
Online betting on legal games, like racing, are probably doing very well. Offshore may be also, but a major stumbling block there remains the effects of UIGEA.
The kind of gambling that may be hurting are those often far-off "destinations" like Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
I suspect the usual long lines of vehicles streaming in on Friday night on the interstates to Vegas and Tahoe, from SoCal, NoCal, Arizona, and points north and east, have diminished considerably.
Ditto for the number of planes loaded with eager tourists, touching down in the Nevada desert with their happy cargo,
Gas prices and airplane fares surely must be squeezing that pipeline.
But for most other, easily available, forms of gambling, Hard Times are a myth. Probably a lot of new players for all sorts of betting, including sports.
Why is it that I'm not overjoyed at that?
I have no current stats in front of me, just common sense and historical facts.
And the answer seems to be: pretty good, in general.
The Mafia-controlled numbers racket thrived for generations in the poverty-striken black ghettoes of America. Before that racket was taken over by state govts.
In chronically-depressed Third World lands like Mexico, the national lottery steals millions from its oppressed citizens. Chasing the dream . . .
During hard times fewer people have the spare dollars to bet big, but it seems that many more folks are willing to lay down some of the little they do have. Chasing dreams and for a little diversion from miserable reality.
All the major California racetracks were built during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Today, aside from lotteries where desperate people dream of wealth, Indian casinos, those near major metro areas especially, with no long drives, should be thriving.
Online betting on legal games, like racing, are probably doing very well. Offshore may be also, but a major stumbling block there remains the effects of UIGEA.
The kind of gambling that may be hurting are those often far-off "destinations" like Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
I suspect the usual long lines of vehicles streaming in on Friday night on the interstates to Vegas and Tahoe, from SoCal, NoCal, Arizona, and points north and east, have diminished considerably.
Ditto for the number of planes loaded with eager tourists, touching down in the Nevada desert with their happy cargo,
Gas prices and airplane fares surely must be squeezing that pipeline.
But for most other, easily available, forms of gambling, Hard Times are a myth. Probably a lot of new players for all sorts of betting, including sports.
Why is it that I'm not overjoyed at that?
