When I hear arguments made by those who oppose the Department of Hawaiian Homelands casino proposal, I’m astonished by how persuasive arguments used during the Prohibition era still work a century later in Hawaii, a so-called progressive state. To deny the opportunity to have an informed debate about this issue based on moral grounds is a social ill unto itself — it is a disservice to the intellectual capacity of the community.

As someone who studies gambling from multiple perspectives, I support a well-regulated gaming industry with sufficient and continued benefits allocated to social support services, screening, and research. Like alcohol, gambling is a potentially hazardous form of consumption where conflicts emerge between economic interests and public health.