About Us


Casino-Free Philadelphia’s mission is simple: stop casinos from coming to Philadelphia and close any that open.

We believe the benefits of casinos can never outweigh the social and economic costs from an industry reliant on addiction to survive. The casino industry thrives by increasing gambling addiction, targeting the poor, and avoiding paying the costs associated with crime, bankruptcy, and the losses from other local businesses.

This issue sits in a bigger context that grounds Casino-Free Philadelphia (CFP) we would never have casinos if we had an open, transparent process with smart community-based planning. Casino slot parlors violate nearly every urban planning principle; never would a sensible planning process place 5,000-machine slot parlors (larger than any in Las Vegas), with 24/7 free unlimited drinks, in close proximity to residential neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Their introduction to Pennsylvania was passed in the middle of the night on the 4th of July weekend with no public input – just the first of a series of decisions excluding the public in the state’s largest development project.

Our goals, therefore, are greater than just halting casino development. We are fighting the right of Philadelphians to control their own destiny and to eliminate the corrupt processes that have plagued the city, using the issue of casinos as one example.

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CFP Who are We.pdf1.34 MB
Our Work in a Nutshell.pdf72.16 KB

 
 
Don't Ask, Just Tell! | You'd think the Governor would have a bit more power than casino owners. But, according to Gov. Rendell, we "shouldn't get too excited" about his efforts to get the casinos to move from the proposed riverfront locations. He says he can't force the casinos to move. But, isn't it the job of government to fix fatally flawed laws? Sorry Ed, we’ve caught on. If you really want to stand up to special interest groups and look out for the public like the governor you are, don't ask the casinos to move, tell them!
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Site Reclamation Training Success | Saturday’s site reclamation training was not only informative, but fun too! About 30 residents and concerned Philadelphians came out on a gorgeous sunny morning to learn about site reclamation and when and how we may use the tactic. The first few news stories have come out about our training. Here is coverage from PlanPhilly , including a short video and The Inquirer. Look for more articles at the week goes on. Thanks to all of you that attended, and for those of you that couldn’t make it, check out our downloadable training manual!
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Casino-Free direct action training manual available online! | As we prepare for a great training this weekend we have made a training manual available for you to download and print. It has a lot of valuable information, so please take a look by clicking here. And don't forget to RSVP for the training!
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Casino-Free Philadelphia requests investigation of Chief Justice Castille | Today Casino-Free Philadelphia, along with 15 citizens, filed a request with the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board seeking in investigation into the conduct of Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille. We believe Justice Castille acted inappropriately and unethically by making public statements about the federal lawsuit recently filed by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania against former Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy.
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