“Oh, it’s not really gambling when you never lose.” –Jennifer Aniston
At $15 apiece, Roselyn and Nelia travel every Tuesday to the Foxwoods Resort Casino, a hotel and casino complex operated by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe on their reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut, via the Chinese-operated Sky Liner bus. Their transportation leaves Flushing, Queens at 10:00 a.m. and returns to the city by 5:30 p.m.
39-year-old Roselyn is originally from Iloilo City and 41-year-old Nelia from Sampaloc, Manila, and they work as caregivers in Brooklyn and Long Island, respectively. They are typically joined by over 30 mostly senior citizens and retirees on the bus ride.
When the bus arrives at the casino, each passenger received three coupons, one for the buffet, worth $20; along with $20 and $25 for gambling. To utilize the last two coupons, they must put down their own cash, equivalent to the amounts – if they win, they win $90; lose, they’re out $45.
Roselyn and Nelia first visited Foxwoods in July of last year. Nelia, a frequent visitor of Metro Manila casinos before arriving in the United States in 2016, was impressed by the Foxwoods’s more than 250 table games and over 5,500 slot machines. She was also astounded when she saw the state-of-the-art Hard Rock Café located within the complex.
A Tanger outlet mall, which opened in 2015, operates between the resort’s two hotel towers and served as Nelia and Roselyn’s immediate destination when their coupons won.
Things changes in the last quarter of 2017, as Roselyn and Nelia had become regulars at Foxwoods. Instead of the “regular” Tuesday trip, the visits increased to three times a week – they became addicted and didn’t seem to realize it.
Earlier this year, when their respective coupons did not win, they started to bet the extra money they kept in their wallets.
According to psychologists, the signs of a gambling problem are often the same as other addictions. Addicts feel the need to hide their gambling problem, have trouble controlling the habit, and engage in the activity when they cannot afford it. A problem is also apparent when friends and co-workers express concern.
Last May, not only did they each lose $45 when their coupons did not win, Nelia and Roselyn lost $350 and $400, respectively. They have since incurred more losses in subsequent visits; with no signs they are ready to quit.
Experts call gambling one of the most insidious of human vices, as it presents the illusion of easy money but can quickly lead to financial ruin.
Juliet, our favorite Filipina roulette operator, once warned: “The odds are never in your favor, whether it is poker, blackjack, or anything else; gambling is a successful industry because the house always wins. Just imagine maghihirap kayo ng trabaho sa isang linggo tapos dito lang mapupunta ang pera.”
Despite Juliet’s warning, they had no reaction./WDJ