Fatal crash highlights lure of casinos for seniors

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Relatives of the victims say recruiters for chartered buses come to the community, and then word of the gambling trips spreads.

"They are actually going into low-income neighborhoods and picking people out," DeSaulnier said.

There are 1 million Californians who have a serious gambling problem, a state-sponsored study estimated two years ago.

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Another state study found that the rate of problem gambling is lower among adults older than 65 than among the disabled, the unemployed and African-Americans. But gambling opponents and family members say seniors are hit especially hard by losses because they are on fixed incomes.

"Many live very insecure financial lives and by them being in a situation where they begin to lose $50 to $100 a week, it might be enough to jeopardize their financial situation and make them unable to make payments on utilities," said Rev. James Butler, executive director of the California Coalition Against Gambling Expansion, a faith-based organization.

Drawn by the prizes, food
Some seniors playing quarter slot machines at Thunder Valley Casino told a reporter they were drawn by a nightly prize drawing, fine restaurants and the chance to get out of the house.

"I used to spend a lot of money on grandkids, but now I spend it on gambling, hoping to get rich — so I can spend more on them," said Beverly Osborne, 72, who drove the 30 miles from her home in Sacramento.

The casino, built on former rangeland between Lincoln and Roseville northeast of Sacramento, is so lucrative that it is now adding a 24-story hotel that will jut above nearby suburban communities in Placer County.

Dr. Timothy Fong of the Gambling Studies Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, said it's hard to say whether similar bus services should be considered a predatory practice; many seniors book the tours because gambling excursions are simply entertainment.

Because the bus trips have become common practice, Fong said, a better question for lawmakers and regulators is to educate seniors so they understand the risks of gambling.

"It's not just a matter of should they, shouldn't they," Fong said. "If it's going to happen, we should address it head on and have some safeguards."