The public decision-making process governing the issue of casino gambling tends to lead to wrong outcomes, and the studies typically provided to justify the phenomenon are conceptually flawed. Seeking to describe what true economic development is, this study establishes the framework for a valid cost-benefit analysis to assess whether it actually occurs and its methods can be applied to the casino industry in America. Accounting for a wide range of economic and social factors, Earl Grinols concludes that the social costs of casino gambling considerably outweigh their social benefits.