Gambling problem

The gambling business is built on bettors' willful suspension of belief in the laws of probability. If state officials approve another Philadelphia casino, they will be showing a similar capacity to ignore the inevitable.

The state gambling board is scheduled to meet next week "for the purpose of considering an award" of a second city casino license, and The Inquirer reported that it's expected to approve a casino near the sports complex in South Philadelphia. But the fortunes of the region's existing casinos have turned so sour that even the politicians who aided and abetted state-sanctioned gambling are urging otherwise.

Former Gov. Ed Rendell, who signed Pennsylvania's gambling law and has asserted that only "simpletons" and "idiots" could fail to appreciate its wisdom, told The Inquirer last week that he wasn't sure Philadelphia needs another casino. He said the gambling board should slow down and seek input from Gov.-elect Tom Wolf. With SugarHouse taking bets on the Delaware waterfront and three other casinos near the city's borders, several suburban legislators expressed similar reservations.

The most glaring evidence of a casino collapse is in nearby Atlantic City, which has lost a third of its casinos in less than a year. This week, on the eve of a "summit" on Atlantic City's future convened by Gov. Christie, State Senate President Steve Sweeney proposed several measures to stabilize the city's finances. But Sweeney and Christie are also threatening to compound the gambling glut by allowing a casino in northern New Jersey.

Pennsylvania now hosts as many casinos as precrisis Atlantic City, and its gambling revenues seem to have peaked. The overall slot machine take has been falling since 2012.

Just as Pennsylvania poached New Jersey gamblers, Ohio, Maryland, and other nearby states are competing for Keystone State wagerers. In fact, one of the would-be owners of Philadelphia's next convenience casino has one in Baltimore and hopes to open another in New York.

Especially as gambling migrates inexorably online, this losing game can only generate more failed casinos, followed by more wrongheaded government bailouts. New Jersey officials are already talking about propping up Atlantic City gambling with more state breaks and guarantees.

Pennsylvania's gambling board has hesitated to add a casino for years, and its chairman, Gregory Fajt, has acknowledged the signs of market saturation. He and the other members must understand that this is not the time to saddle Philadelphia with another casino. As the gaming governor himself might put it, they would have to be simpletons not to.