It was an embarrassing turn of events for a state that already has a high rate of problem gamblers. And soon legislative leaders were criticizing the aggressive tactics, acting as though it was all the idea of lottery officials. Last week, there was a truce of sorts. The lottery vending machines will be removed from stores in September, when the lease for the machines expires. The lottery van will be no more.
Legislative leaders seem pleased.
But they and the governor need to recognize that when they demand more gambling revenue, they are demanding that someone make Connecticut residents gamble more. Politicians like to think of legalized gambling as painless taxation. But it is notpainless. That's 90 minutes less than the current trip from Boston to New York, and 30 minutes less than the current trip from New York to Washington. The ride by car can be long, and coping with airports these days can be frustrating.