Con: Gambling contributes to poverty, addiction
Published: October 20, 2012
Proponents of video gambling choose to call it "video gaming." It is not a harmless video game. It is gambling that causes poverty and addiction. And video gambling is hardly the financial panacea marketed by the gambling industry.
The industry promises Belleville the annual sum of $300,000. To meet this promise, the citizens of Belleville must lose $6 million to these machines each year.
Losses will come from the paychecks and credit cards of Belleville residents. By law, the gambling machine distributor would receive 35 percent ($2.1 million), the bar owner 35 percent ($2.1 million), the state 25 percent ($1.5 million) and the city 5 percent ($300,000). Belleville's share would first go into the state's coffers.
Given the state's miserable history disbursing tax revenue, who knows how long the city would be waiting in line along with school districts, nursing homes and many other creditors of the state to get paid. For example, the state is in arrears to the local school districts to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overdue obligations.
Even assuming all goes as planned, in a 10-year time period $60 million would be siphoned from the gambling machine losers in our city. A good deal? Not so much.
Not mentioned is the responsibility for Belleville to provide the enforcement of the gambling laws, including any need for increased police. The state is not required to do anything other than collect its $1.5 million and Belleville's share each year of the gambling losses.
Video gambling is known as the "crack cocaine" of gambling. According to a leading Las Vegas expert on compulsive gambling, video gambling is the most addictive. Do not be deceived by the gambling industry's argument that "We already have the Illinois State Lottery available at most gas marts." There is a huge difference between the lottery and video gambling. As we all know, lottery ticket buyers decide on their personal loss tolerance, usually a low amount compared to weekly income. Most lottery results are posted later --not instantly. On the other hand, video gambling machines are rigged to keep, on average, 20 cents of each dollar gambled over the course of time. Video gamblers are lured into thinking that with each small win or draw, the big payout will eventually occur. It rarely does.
By law, the video gambling machines can only be placed in locations serving liquor (with an exception for truck stops). Ever wonder why drinks are often complementary at casinos? Drinking inhibits a person's ability to think rationally while driving or gambling, including the risk of losing a paycheck.
Before the Alton Belle Casino opened in downtown Alton 1991, the Alton area had two Gamblers Anonymous therapy groups. Within a couple of years, the same Alton area had 14 Gamblers Anonymous groups. Belleville already has at least two Gamblers Anonymous groups primarily due to the Casino Queen, which is 10 miles away. Bringing video gambling into Belleville's 75 bars and restaurants is akin to importing 75 mini casinos. Many bars in Belleville are within an easy walk or a short drive of thousands of homes. Think about the consequences -- a $6 million annual drain on family incomes, devastating credit card debt, gambling addictions, poverty, rising rates of suicide, falling property values and an additional cause of crime. It is not uncommon for gambling addicts to steal to support their addiction.
Proponents of video gambling have argued that the bar owners need this additional $2.1 million in revenue due to "tough economic times." Who doesn't? Just ask anybody who is unemployed or working and barely making enough to survive. If video gambling passes, only a few will benefit -- at the expense of many. Also, the likelihood of later reversing the legality of video gambling is troubling. If the video gambling referendum is passed, the gambling industry will overwhelm any future attempt to repeal this ordinance, using their enormous gambling revenues to influence every city election.
Belleville is not the first to consider video gambling. In response to this latest move by the legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn to legalize a once illegal activity, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Swansea, Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Livingston County, Pike County, McHenry County and more than 100 other Illinois counties and cities have already voted "no" to video gambling. Why should Belleville vote "yes"?
If video gambling passes, what will be the next idea to raise money? Encourage the expansion of strip clubs into Belleville? There is a bill in the Illinois Senate to raise money through a user's tax at strip clubs.
Think about the future of Belleville and vote "no" to video gambling.
The industry promises Belleville the annual sum of $300,000. To meet this promise, the citizens of Belleville must lose $6 million to these machines each year.
Losses will come from the paychecks and credit cards of Belleville residents. By law, the gambling machine distributor would receive 35 percent ($2.1 million), the bar owner 35 percent ($2.1 million), the state 25 percent ($1.5 million) and the city 5 percent ($300,000). Belleville's share would first go into the state's coffers.
Given the state's miserable history disbursing tax revenue, who knows how long the city would be waiting in line along with school districts, nursing homes and many other creditors of the state to get paid. For example, the state is in arrears to the local school districts to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overdue obligations.
Even assuming all goes as planned, in a 10-year time period $60 million would be siphoned from the gambling machine losers in our city. A good deal? Not so much.
Not mentioned is the responsibility for Belleville to provide the enforcement of the gambling laws, including any need for increased police. The state is not required to do anything other than collect its $1.5 million and Belleville's share each year of the gambling losses.
Video gambling is known as the "crack cocaine" of gambling. According to a leading Las Vegas expert on compulsive gambling, video gambling is the most addictive. Do not be deceived by the gambling industry's argument that "We already have the Illinois State Lottery available at most gas marts." There is a huge difference between the lottery and video gambling. As we all know, lottery ticket buyers decide on their personal loss tolerance, usually a low amount compared to weekly income. Most lottery results are posted later --not instantly. On the other hand, video gambling machines are rigged to keep, on average, 20 cents of each dollar gambled over the course of time. Video gamblers are lured into thinking that with each small win or draw, the big payout will eventually occur. It rarely does.
By law, the video gambling machines can only be placed in locations serving liquor (with an exception for truck stops). Ever wonder why drinks are often complementary at casinos? Drinking inhibits a person's ability to think rationally while driving or gambling, including the risk of losing a paycheck.
Before the Alton Belle Casino opened in downtown Alton 1991, the Alton area had two Gamblers Anonymous therapy groups. Within a couple of years, the same Alton area had 14 Gamblers Anonymous groups. Belleville already has at least two Gamblers Anonymous groups primarily due to the Casino Queen, which is 10 miles away. Bringing video gambling into Belleville's 75 bars and restaurants is akin to importing 75 mini casinos. Many bars in Belleville are within an easy walk or a short drive of thousands of homes. Think about the consequences -- a $6 million annual drain on family incomes, devastating credit card debt, gambling addictions, poverty, rising rates of suicide, falling property values and an additional cause of crime. It is not uncommon for gambling addicts to steal to support their addiction.
Proponents of video gambling have argued that the bar owners need this additional $2.1 million in revenue due to "tough economic times." Who doesn't? Just ask anybody who is unemployed or working and barely making enough to survive. If video gambling passes, only a few will benefit -- at the expense of many. Also, the likelihood of later reversing the legality of video gambling is troubling. If the video gambling referendum is passed, the gambling industry will overwhelm any future attempt to repeal this ordinance, using their enormous gambling revenues to influence every city election.
Belleville is not the first to consider video gambling. In response to this latest move by the legislature and Gov. Pat Quinn to legalize a once illegal activity, Edwardsville, O'Fallon, Swansea, Chicago, Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Livingston County, Pike County, McHenry County and more than 100 other Illinois counties and cities have already voted "no" to video gambling. Why should Belleville vote "yes"?
If video gambling passes, what will be the next idea to raise money? Encourage the expansion of strip clubs into Belleville? There is a bill in the Illinois Senate to raise money through a user's tax at strip clubs.
Think about the future of Belleville and vote "no" to video gambling.
George Uhl is a lifelong Belleville resident.
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