Best Choices And Added Context

A two-topic feature: There isn't always a right and wrong choice. Sometimes we have to make the best choice available. Not every good talking point is rooted in fact.

Today’s feature column will tackle two semi-interrelated topics.

The first is a tweet I included in the Around the Watercooler section on Wednesday that I’ve been thinking about quite a bit.

This is a fascinating point. The tweet rightly points out that there will always be considerable opposition to gambling. The industry can dream of a day of mass acceptance, but that day will never come. Instead, the industry is faced with a choice poker players know all too well: making the best decision in a bad situation.

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What “fraac” is saying is the industry should embrace comparisons to alcohol rather than leave the door open for opponents to compare it to smoking.

These are sage words, considering tobacco products are increasingly restricted, with smokers headed towards extinction, while alcohol access and consumption have been steady for decades.

Source: Gallup

Source: Gallup

I know which one I would want to be associated with.

[This article is about to segue into topic #2]

Let’s Examine That a Little Closer

Another tweet that kicked off a mini-firestorm on X (and in my DMs) was a retweet from Dustin Gouker.

Dustin clarified he wasn’t passing judgment.

A response from top-notch RG consultant and lobbyist Brianne Doura-Schawohl, did, as she reiterated a trendy talking point in the RG space about holiday lottery tickets, saying, “It’s not appropriate to buy your children lottery tickets, And It’s not okay to allow your children to play DFS with you. As the writer says, “I am not advocating DFS replace other things you do with your child.” Just don’t play with them at all.”

In response to a request to clarify from multiple people, Doura-Schawohl tweeted, “Research shows that a person’s engagement and exposure to gambling in childhood leaves them more predisposed and likely to develop & struggle with a gambling problem later in life.” She linked to some studies that you can find here.

This is oft-cited in the industry but rarely explored. It makes perfect (surface) sense but is in desperate need of context.