Letter: Gambling hypocrisy is evident in Louisiana

Patti Shelton

Letter to the Editor

Senate lawmakers on Thursday failed to pass the tax bill for fantasy sports betting, which would have allowed sports fans to construct virtual teams of real athletes from professional sports on mobile phones or computer desktop.

The Louisiana legislature would be a great comedy show, if it didn't have power over issues affecting Louisiana's people.

So, one legislator filibustered a fantasy sports betting bill in a fit of pique because his amendment to permit betting on "real sports" was stripped from the fantasy sports bill.

And why would such an amendment be pulled? Because "religious and conservative family groups" oppose betting on real sports. Lotteries? No problem. Casinos? No problem. Betting on imaginary games? No problem. Betting on real football games? Horrors, sin, the slippery slope to hell!

The comedy routine that is the legislature is merely a reflection of the hypocrisy of Louisianans who presume to make moral decisions for the rest of us. Once again, we choose to scrape the bottom of every quality of life barrel in the USA.

Patti Shelton

Shreveport