After grazing in adjoining states, spreading wealth and joy to its inhabitants in return for their hospitality, the cash cow known as slot machines came here on Election Day to give us a helping hand.

Its arrival was welcomed enthusiastically as it crossed the state by most Marylanders, particularly those earning a living in the horse-racing industry.

And while it will probably take up to two years before we can fully realize its numerous benefits, we can look forward to the day when Maryland is no longer a major source of slots revenue for other greedy states, what with more than $600 million being poured into their slots annually by Marylanders.

The shame of it all is that, had the slots issue not become a political football, what with the top dogs in the Annapolis being unable or unwilling to reach a compromise on a slots bill, the state wouldn't be in the financial crunch it's in if they could have resolved it earlier. But better late than never.

One need only look at the Quaker State as an example of how it was done the right way and with a minimum of "sound and fury."

That was due in large part by their legislators having, smartly so, included provisions in the "Race Horse Development and Gaming Act" that gave local governments "a piece of the pie."

I'd caution Maryland taxpayers, however, not to hold their breath waiting to receive the same or similar tax relief from Annapolis, though we're just as deserving of a tax break.

Pennsylvania's report card, covering the period between Nov. 14, 2006, when the first of seven casinos opened and Sept. 30, 2008, got high marks, indeed. The best proof of that is the more than $1.8 billion in revenues the state has collected from those casinos in that time. That figure is expected to more than double after seven more, including two free-standing casinos in Philadelphia, open.

That will give players 61,000 money-guzzling slots, or four times as many as we're slated to have. But a half loaf (or a quarter in our case) is better than none.

In addition to the money allocated for property-tax relief statewide in Pennsylvania, $288 million went to the racetracks so as to enable them to offer bigger purses and attract higher caliber horses; the casinos have created 6,500 jobs and brought additional employment and revenue to nearby towns ... and a large sum to school districts.

Yes, there's a downside to this bonanza in the human toll it's taken among avid slots players, who've lost more than $2.4 billion at the casinos; mainly those who can ill-afford to lose money playing any game of chance, let alone slots. Regrettable as that is, it confirms what I've always believed about gamblers: they can't be prevented from gambling, however unwisely, if they choose to do it.

That's especially true for compulsive or pathological gamblers. They can't help it any more than die-hard smokers can be forced to quit, even when they're aware it's an unhealthy and expensive habit.

Only once in our history was an attempt made to control people's freedom of choice as to how they spend their leisure time and money. That was when alcoholic drinks were outlawed by the so-called Volstead Act between 1920 and 1933,

The act had the unintended consequence of people drinking more than ever, gave rise to organized crime and proved to be as futile as trying to stop ants from invading picnic baskets.

Quote of the week: "Too many moralists begin with a dislike of reality."

-- Clarence Day

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