Casino

Today I woke up, free from the shock of yesterday and ready to celebrate: ding dong, a witch is dead. "I'm a Casino Slayer," I marveled to myself. I rushed out of bed to read the news, to make sure it really happened. The news is true: Foxwoods license is revoked!

Despite years of strong public opposition, SugarHouse Casino opened it's doors on September 23, 2010. To many Philadelphians who understand the nature of predatory gambling, SugarHouse's arrival foretells a rise in unemployment, addiction, broken families and unstable communities.

Yet those who have been organizing around this issue are not giving up. In this piece, Lai Har Cheung, Reverend Jesse Brown, and Francesca Lo Basso talk about what SugarHouse will mean for Philly and why they are even more determined in their fight against casinos in Philadelphia.

Fourteen Philadelphia residents were acquitted today of charges against them for protesting the construction of the sugar house casino on Delaware River.

On Feb. 16, fourteen of your neighbors go on trial for a casino-free Philly. 

These fourteen individuals -- ranging in age from 24 to 72 and including several grandparents and two members of the clergy, public school teachers, and life-long Philadelphians -- lined the entrance to the SugarHouse casino site on the Delaware river and refused to move. They were promptly arrested and held for more than 12 hours. 

Now, they need your help.

Neighbors and organizations fighting plans to develop two casinos in Philadelphia delivered foreclosure signs to State Senator Shirley M. Kitchen on Nov, 12th. Senator Kitchen is co-sponsoring a piece of legislation currently going through the State house that would allow the granting of credit and loans by casinos on the gaming floors.

Last Tuesday 14 Philadelphia community members were arrested in a blockade of the Sugar House site in the early morning. Watch here for video from the protest.

Read below for a full statement from the organizers. Read here for a report back from one of the arrested community members.

Last week marks a victory in the campaign to stop casinos in Philadelphia as the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board heard the case of Foxwoods trying to keep their license to open up slots in Philadelphia.

This Friday the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will vote whether or not to extend the license needed for Foxwoods casinos to open one of the two proposed slots parlors in city limits.  Members of Asian Americans United, Casino Free Philadelphia and other in the No Casino in the Heart of Our City Coalition will head to Harrisburg to de

As Harrisburg considers expanding gambling, we want you to contact your representative -- today - to remind them that our communities are more important than the tons of cash contributed by the casino industry.

Updates from the fight to stop slots.

Last week our City Council gave a unanimous vote to relocate the purposed Foxwoods Casino to the former Strawbridge & Clothier site at 8th and Market.