"Maybe my imagination is fueled by too much TV. How could Connecticut have the largest casinos in the world and yet we rarely hear about any major arrests or investigations?

It is possible that Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun really do produce only the occasional drunk or card counter. The tribal gaming authorities - who work with and are required to provide "free access" to the state police - may be running a tight ship, keeping out what can follow gambling money: mobsters, prostitution and drug dealing.

But please. Our small towns produce more police news than Connecticut's two mega-casinos. The latest investigations into our state police suggest that gambling isn't getting the sort of scrutiny it deserves.

Every few years an ousted or disgruntled cop turns up charging that things aren't what they seem. Former state police casino unit investigator Jack Drumm once said state oversight was "illusory" at Foxwoods because the state has little access.

The casino resorts are an important and essential part of our Connecticut economy, employing more than 20,000 and contributing more than $400 million to the state. As we grow more dependent on the casinos and enjoy the benefits, we need to at least acknowledge the costs."

Get the Story:
Rick Green: Are Our Casinos Truly That Clean? (The Hartford Courant 12/12)