I don't disagree with that statement personally, but I will point out that this PARTICULAR issue doesn't much follow a standard left-right divide and you will find plenty of small-c-conservative change averse pearl clutchers in both parties on this particular issue.
That at hardball politics. We have a decent number of Republicans in MN who religiously oppose gambling and a decent number of Dems who oppose it based on what you're describing, but the big reason is the native tribes have a permanent gambling monopoly and are decisively powerful Dem funders. They haven't been able to iron out a final structure they like yet, so it's blocked cold. Very very close for a couple years now after a few years of hard opposition though.