West Virginians have gambled for years, but today their games of chance are more convenient than ever. And the problems that stem from their gambling are greater than ever.

Since the state gave its blessing to neighborhood gambling in 2001, 1,699 local gambling parlors have sprung up across the state under the guise of entertainment. Our recent I-Team's reports show their success is the result of their convenience to West Virginia citizens, who merely stop on their way home from the grocery to play a pre-programmed electronic gambling machine. But, of course, most players lose. The state, parlor operators and their associates are the big winners.

The state eliminated a vice in 2001 by declaring it legal. To gain public support, video gambling proponents linked it to funding the Promise Scholarship program, which offers tuition to qualified high school graduates who attend state colleges. But the law has flaws:

• A disproportionate number of low-income citizens play and lose. Some gamblers become addicted. Their families suffer.
• Communities must cope with the arrival of odd little gambling enterprises in mainstream neighborhoods. They create headaches for local officials who want to protect their communities.
• Questionable "fraternal" organizations now operate gambling joints as "non-profits" that have an edge on their competitors.
• The Promise Scholarship is an expensive program that serves the affluent at the expense of the poor. While encouraging young people to attend college is a worthy goal, shouldn't a poor state find a way to assist the truly needy rather than the relatively affluent?

State government opened Pandora's Box in 2001. Rather than stamping out illegal gambling on the local level, the state legalized it and, in effect, became a partner. We now wonder whether we can afford this dance with the devil.

Here are some suggestions and observations:

• It is late in the game, but strong zoning laws can help local communities control gambling parlors.
• The state could increase the percentage of its take. Such a change could give the state more resources to address the strain on community social services that result from gambling's growth.
• The state should at least consider the out-and-out elimination of neighborhood gambling parlors. A planned phase-out is possible.

Neighborhood gambling parlors are unlike the state's four racetrack casinos that have become destinations for more affluent, out-of-state patrons. Instead, local gambling parlors are exploiting local residents and, we believe, are harming our communities.

Neighborhood gambling is entertainment we cannot afford.