Weld Supports Legalized Gambling

If Governor William F. Weld '66 has his way, Harvard students may have something new to do on the weekend.

Weld is pushing a plan to legalize gambling in parts of Massachusetts to raise revenue. And some Harvard students are eager to participate.

"I would [go], definitely," Bac C. Nguyen '95 said. "Especially if they have sports gambling."

"I'd be willing to give it a shot," Candace M. Hom '96 said.

Weld's proposal, which is now pending before a state legislative committee, includes authorizing up to seven gambling sites: three "floating casinos," which will be located at various docks, and 6,000 electronic gaming devices to be distributed among the state's four dog and horse tracks.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 said he does not know whether gambling will become a problem at the College.

"I really don't have any sense of how many students would take advantage of [legalized gambling]," said Jewett.

"I think it might have a spark at the beginning because it's something new," Assistant Dean of Students Sarah E. Flatley said.

But Flatley said that legalized gambling will probably affect only a small portion of the College population because of the ban on gambling for people under age 21.

Some students said they would gamble for fun, not for profit.

"For me, it's like entertainment," WilliamPosten '95 said. "You spend $7 on a movie. [Ingambling] you could spend $7 and possibly get back$100."

"As far as I'm concerned, all there isentertainment value," said Jason I. Comander '97,adding that he is not "much of a gambler."

One student complained that the casino nearestto Harvard, Foxwoods in Connecticut, is too faraway.

"It wasn't convenient at all," Nguyen said. "Itwas a two-hour drive."

Ruvim Y. Breydo '95 said he thinks gamblingwill be beneficial to the state's economy.

"The state just loses revenue [by not havinggambling]," Breydo said. He said gamblers just goelsewhere to spend their money.

But other students said economic concerns maynot be enough to justify the moral implications oflegalizing gambling in Massachusetts.

"I would probably patronize the casinos,"Comander said. "But I would be worried that therewould be other negative effects that would goalong with legalization of gambling."

"You can't bring casinos into Massachusettsunder the assumption that it will help theeconomy," Jonathan K. Hsu '94 said.

"Sure it generates a couple of hundred jobs,"he said. "but you will get a lot of peopleaddicted to gambling, and gambling inherentlybrings in a seedy element."

For societal reasons, Hsu advocates limitedaccess to gambling in the country.

"I don't think gambling ought to be spreadabout any more than it has," Hsu said. "But from agreedy personal stance, I wouldn't mind having agambling casino right in the middle of BostonHarbor.

"For me, it's like entertainment," WilliamPosten '95 said. "You spend $7 on a movie. [Ingambling] you could spend $7 and possibly get back$100."

"As far as I'm concerned, all there isentertainment value," said Jason I. Comander '97,adding that he is not "much of a gambler."

One student complained that the casino nearestto Harvard, Foxwoods in Connecticut, is too faraway.

"It wasn't convenient at all," Nguyen said. "Itwas a two-hour drive."

Ruvim Y. Breydo '95 said he thinks gamblingwill be beneficial to the state's economy.

"The state just loses revenue [by not havinggambling]," Breydo said. He said gamblers just goelsewhere to spend their money.

But other students said economic concerns maynot be enough to justify the moral implications oflegalizing gambling in Massachusetts.

"I would probably patronize the casinos,"Comander said. "But I would be worried that therewould be other negative effects that would goalong with legalization of gambling."

"You can't bring casinos into Massachusettsunder the assumption that it will help theeconomy," Jonathan K. Hsu '94 said.

"Sure it generates a couple of hundred jobs,"he said. "but you will get a lot of peopleaddicted to gambling, and gambling inherentlybrings in a seedy element."

For societal reasons, Hsu advocates limitedaccess to gambling in the country.

"I don't think gambling ought to be spreadabout any more than it has," Hsu said. "But from agreedy personal stance, I wouldn't mind having agambling casino right in the middle of BostonHarbor.