This is one of the first things that came up when I Googled, "benefits of casinos".
The Myth of Casinos and Economic Benefits
The industry promises of shared wealth do not materialize either. Every state that uses gambling as a revenue source has a budget deficit – most notably Nevada and New Jersey. (
http://www.texasgop.org/site/pageser...brary_gambling) After promising that Texas would become the next Nevada, the gambling industry committed to raising $99.2 million in 1987 for legislation to allow race tracks. Instead revenues peaked at $5 million and have been declining since that time. After claiming that Texas would make millions, the industry asked the State to forgive $10.5 million in public debt in 1993, only 3 years after the first track opened. (ibid) South Dakota has had a similar experience. The first state to allow video slot machines in 1989 still had an estimated $54 million budget deficit in 2004 and an estimated $17 million deficit projected for 2005 (Center on Budget & Policy Priorities). New York State committed to VLTs at racetracks and found that it has received only half of the projected revenue. In my research, I have
not found one state that would claim that gambling had solved the problems it was intended to resolve.