Editorial: Catawba Nation casino a bad deal for North Carolina

Our recommendation would be to do away with gambling, close the loopholes and shade in the gray areas. Odds are that will never happen, as the special interests backing both the video poker-type machines and the state-run lottery have deep pockets.

But a casino along a popular corridor shared by the two states is not an answer for a state looking for more revenue sources. The casino in Cherokee, N.C., which has operated since 1997 with few problems, is a destination stop. This proposal would make the casino essentially an exit along a heavily traveled interstate, which would surely increase the probability of illicit behavior in and around the resort.

We’re not social scientists, but we’d bet the impact from the casino would be felt in detention centers along the border before it makes any dent at the N.C. Statehouse.