Thanks for sharing your story. I can see the argument on both sides; however, I think we need to keep this in perspective.
Did we outlaw liquor stores because there are alcoholics walking around? Did we close retail stores because people with shopping addictions can't be tempted? At some point, people need to take responsibility for their own actions, just like you did. The ding-ding-ding of those slots machines does NOT make that person play that machine - the person makes that decision. Nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head making them walk into a casino. They walk in there of their own volition, or rolled in there or wheeled in there depending on the circumstances. Yes, it is a debilitating addiction and there is no denying it has ruined many, many lives. However, the gambling alone did not cause those problems in those lives - the choices they made caused those problems. The rest of us should not be denied our choice simply because some people couldn't make those same choices.
I doubt very seriously that we would ever know exactly where all the revenue would go - just like we don't know where all the lottery money goes despite their "disclosure." However, I think we should give it a go anyway. Nothing beats a try but a failure and, if slots should get approved, we should give it the benefit of the doubt. If it does fail, I can assure you that the legislators who didn't want them will waste no time in lobbying to get them removed and take all the credit for it.
Well said!!