Gambling Room Raids Leave Social Void For Retirees
Pat and Max Bailey loved to drop by gaming rooms in Bradenton, where they'd sink into cushy black chairs and spend hours at the penny slots almost every night.
The Baileys say it was a fun and affordable way to get out of the house and mix with other seniors. The most they ever lost was $20 in a night, and they always got a free meal out of the deal. And they could win a $25 Wal-Mart gift card if they got lucky.
But last week, authorities raided and shut down 16 Manatee gaming rooms, many on 14th Street West, calling them illegal gambling houses. Some operators were arrested and many slot machines were confiscated.
Now folks like the Baileys are missing out on a cheap pastime, where $5 could last for hours. And they've also lost a beloved social hub.
At some parlors, players were on a first-name basis with each other, and employees treated everyone like family -- greeting patrons with hugs and repeatedly offering to make them food.
"You know when you go home to your grandmother's house, and grandmother always made sure you were fed?" player Becky Rowsey, 62, explained.
Regulars say they don't see the harm in the gaming rooms, and now many are struggling to fill the sudden hole in their social lives.
June 18, 2006
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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