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_ The opinions expressed in this column do not neces- sarily reflect those of the staff of this publication, or of the Student Union.

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It is just like Las Vagas.

People sitting there, pumping their last dollar into the _ slotmachines desperately hoping for that ‘‘BIG _WIN’’.

Unfortunately this is not a scene from that hot oasis _ in the dessert but rather this is a scene from our own campus. Even worse, this is the seen at the Panther

_ Lounge, a bar that is run by the Student Union, for

_ students,

_ Why is this highly addictive (and very expensive) _form of gambling allowed on our campus? Is the student union making money off of the addictions of students? Are they preying on the students in these hard times for there money? Why is the Student ‘Union trying profit off of some of the poorest people in society.

It is documented that this form of gambling is for the ‘poor and uneducated. Also, it should be noted that ‘statistically, people only loose money on these ma- chines, not win. For every dollar won, there is two or

three lost. For every ‘‘Big win’’ there are hundreds of losses.

1 realize that the government makes massive amounts of money off of similar machines around the prov- ince, but should the government be given permission by a student organization to make even more money

off of students. By allowing these machines to be put in the Panther Lounge, the Student Union and the lounge management have, in fact, sold out to the government fora take of the winnings.

As students in an institute of higher learning, we Should be critical of this action taken by the Student Union and the lounge management, We should be educated enough to beable to see what these machines really are, They amount to little more then robbing trom the poor and desperate, We should stand up to me government and tell them we are not interested in giving them more money,

How can we as students ask the government for better PLO roms LO Delp i itv when on

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February6, 1992

~ the other hand, we show them we have money to

throw away in these machines? In stead of helping the government finance their budgets, we should stick to trying to finance our own budgets.

I know it will be argued that these machines are only being used by the students who have extra money, but this is simply not true. Machines of this type are designed to be used by a group of people weather they have money or not. Unfortunately, this group includes many university students.

These machines should be removed from the campus immediately. This conflict of interest for the Student Union should not continue. If people want to use these machines, they can go to some of the businesses

around town, they would not mind taking a students last dollar.

With the odds against me,

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