Asian Americans in Philly Say No

Philly area residents are up in arms these days over a recent proposal to install a whole casino, complete with slot machines in their midst. To be more specific, the residents of Chinatown are unhappy that their area is being treated as the rest of the city’s dumping ground. Chinatown areas across the country are always known for their cheap dim sum and even cheaper wares, as the areas usually lack the polish and Americanism that is present in more posh areas and the suburbs. While it is true that the Asian population is stereotypically heavily involved in online and land casino gambling, it doesn’t mean that everybody participates, or even that a casino is a wanted thing in Chinatown.

Over the years, the community has had to rally against several huge building projects that have been proposed by the city. Because of their central location and proximity to downtown, Chinatown has repeatedly been looked at as a high possibility for a stadium, convention center, and now a casino.

Furthermore, gambling addiction is already a problem in the community, as Asian Americans, for instance, already make up about 20% of the Mohegan Sun’s revenue. Perhaps due to a lack of resources or a combination of other factors, Asian American gambling dependency is an important issue, and adding a whole casino to the mix would be irresponsible. Because of the heavy advertising geared to the Asian population, coupled with the fact that many of these casinos offer several traditional Asian games, the presence of a new casino could mean a lot of trouble for the community.