False Robin Hoods

Would you shop at a store that promised you a big rebate, but paid it only rarely - and mostly to somebody else?

You've probably guessed that the store in question is a casino. And the folks who want to open more and more of them are persistent. When voted down, they keep coming back to legislators and voters.

That's not surprising. Next to running a mint, nothing beats a casino for coining money for the owners with almost no risk.

Maryland and Massachusetts are but the latest states to hear the spurious claim that casino operators are Robin Hoods, taking from high rollers and giving aid to poor taxpayers. The reality is more often the opposite. They rob mostly the middle class and give to the rich - themselves.