Dangerous wheels for seniors

Dangerous wheels for seniors

We are not talking about dangerous driving wheels here, although you often read items flagging the Dangerous Presence of Senior Drivers on the Roads.

Driving may be a sensitive topic for seniors because

their age sometimes affects their ability to drive.

They are more likely to receive traffic tickets compared

to young drivers. The two main reasons for this may be

due to slower reflexes and poor eyesight.

In some ways, the wheels we are talking about here are even more dangerous. We are not directly referring to those hypnotic and addictive rotating wheels you will see in video slot machines at casinos, although that is getting closer.

As the Globe and Mail suggested there are Wheels of fate that are not always kind to seniors.

Subsidizing commercial bus fares to bring patrons to casinos –

particularly during the times of the day when casinos are at their

slowest – is common across Canada, with hundreds of trips daily. The

Quebec government pays some of the highest bus subsidies of any

province – more than $3.2-million over the past two fiscal years to

transport patrons to its casinos, according to figures obtained under

the Freedom of Information Act. Casinos du Québec spokesman Patrice

Lavoie said the province lays out an average of $7 for each person

brought to its casinos by bus.

Although such bus tours were long thought to be benign – retirement

homes routinely shuttle residents to casinos as part of their

entertainment – researchers now question whether these trips

potentially set seniors up for future gambling problems.

Barry Hall, a professor of social work at the University of Calgary, says

casino bus tours represent a shrewd marketing strategy that caters to

the egos of lonely seniors, particularly women. “I have observed the

buses … and I have watched very handsome young men come out and

squire the elderly ladies who are absolutely enthralled that they are

being treated as royalty.”

It is not only free or subsidized transport that is encouraging big losers to keep coming back.

NDP health critic Frances Gelinas says casinos know who the VIPs are

and those at risk of becoming addicted, since they also tend to be the

big losers who keep going back to casinos. “There is no link between

the casinos and treatment. Casinos offer these people VIP cars, pick

them up in black limousines and offer other enticing gifts,” she says.

“Casinos know there will be people who have addiction problems and

the government should do a better job of preventing and identifying

problem gamblers before their lives are ruined.”

Gamblers are enticed by the manipulation of the casino environment

once you step foot inside, Research shows the casino’s music, the

pumping in of extra oxygen contributes to keeping people in their

seats longer. Casino employees take whole courses on public relations

to make the patron feel more welcome.

For example, the OLG has subtle messages, ‘if you don’t play, you

can’t win,’ and people buy into that dream world. Casinos target every

group out there, including seniors, by providing free transportation

from seniors’ homes, to giving vouchers for free buffets, hotel stays

and shows.

Some seniors are beginning to speak out. The P.E.I. Senior Citizens’ Federation is upset by these casino incentives.

They affirm that the government-owned casino in Charlottetown shouldn’t be encouraging people to gamble. It is appalling that Charlottetown’s government-owned casino gave nearly $100,000 in complimentary merchandise to its high rollers during the past year.

The bottom line on all this is staggering and extremely distressing. In Canada, gambling is a $13.67-billion business nationwide. Problem gamblers account for one-third of all revenues, studies show.

Gambling Glory Days Over?

The CT casinos are struggling with debt, laying off workers and Region’s health tied to casinos would lead one to believe there's a chance of recovery. Not!

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This is the economic legacy of casinos as failure to create economic engines.

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It's sad that some still believe in spite of the experience of many others.

Something for Nothing and Casino Gambling didn't work for global investments and won't work to create sustainable economies.

Not morals! Just economic facts.

The glory days of huge gaming profits and unprecedented growth came to a crashing halt last year, and the impact is still being felt today.

The financial well-being of the two gaming institutions is an important factor in the region’s economy, particularly because the two tribes are the largest employers in Eastern Connecticut. Both have been forced to reduce their work force and take other cost cutting measures in response to the slumping economy.


The Mohegan Tribe appears to have a slightly better financial footing than the Mashantuckets, whose debt is a major concern for investors. The most recent financial report showed the Mohegan gaming operations reporting a profit in the third quarter. But that profit is more a result of less than stellar third quarter earnings the year before, and the cost cutting measures taken this past year.

But of more immediate concern is Standard & Poor’s recent decision to cut the Mashantucket’s credit rating, a move that raised concern among the financial community — and could very well affect the ability of other tribal gaming operators, such as the Mohegans, from obtaining funding at favorable interest rates in the future.

That’s an important consideration for the Mohegans as they continue to eye the prospects of expanded gaming opportunities in Massachusetts. But it’s not just the financial impact of a slow economic recovery that tribal leaders will have to contend with.

Both tribes have fought state efforts to impose new rules and regulations, such as this year’s second attempt to impose a full smoking ban, as well as potential state competition for gaming revenue, such as the proposed — although later abandoned — idea of expanding the state lottery with the introduction of Keno games.

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Casino slump could pinch state revenues

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A continued downturn in slot machine play at Connecticut's two casinos could add millions in red ink to a $38 billion state budget that's already running a deficit.

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Although most attribute the drop in Connecticut's slot revenue to the ongoing recession, increased competition from slot machines in Rhode Island and the Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway in New York is also believed to be cutting into the take, experts generally agree.

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The Mohegan and Pequot Indian tribes are not the only casino owners facing reduced gaming revenue. Slot and table game revenue in Atlantic City and Las Vegas also dropped significantly during 2009 and has yet to recover, indicating the recession is not over.

Do the Math

Some people get it right!

Opinion

’Round and ’round it goes (sort of like a roulette wheel)

Casino proponents are taking a page out of the playbook of some government entities that apparently don’t know the meaning of no. How many times is the complaint heard that a school board, for instance, will put a tax issue on the ballot over and over again until, finally, a weary public gives in?

Well, here we are again, addressing yet another amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would give a small group of businessmen a monopoly on gambling in the state. And again, we find ourselves saying that it is madness to give special interests a constitutional right to pick pockets.

We understand that some people enjoy gambling, and that many, including those from the Mahoning Valley, travel out of state now to gamble. Casino proponents tell us that Ohio is losing $1 billion a year to such outward migration, and that Issue 3 will put an end to that.

Do the math

But the numbers don’t add up. For one thing, as anyone from this area familiar with gambling patterns can tell you, not everyone who goes to West Virginia or has started going to Pittsburgh to gamble will automatically switch to one of the four Ohio casinos permitted under Issue 3. Some who are going to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Detroit or Niagara Falls to gamble may go, instead, to Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo or Cincinnati, but not all. Those dollars leaving Ohio are not the target of the would-be operators of Issue 3 casinos. * If they captured every gambling dollar leaving the state, $1 billion isn’t enough to provide the jobs and taxes that Issue 3 proponents promise.

They’ve got their eye on billions of dollars in new gambling money, and those are dollars that will be drained from the discretionary budgets of hundreds of thousands of Ohio families. It is money that now goes for restaurant meals, theater tickets, new clothes, new cars and home furnishings and improvements. And that’s what underlies the deception of promoting gambling as an economic development tool.

Casinos produce little except false promises, the occasional sense of euphoria for the winners and the dejection of defeat for the losers and their families.

We have said before when commenting on other casino gambling issues in Ohio: Gambling is the most successful scheme for the redistribution of wealth ever devised. It takes from the poor and gives to the rich. That’s because, as any gambler can tell you, the house never loses.

Don’t be taken in by the promises of easy money being made by Issue 3 proponents. Vote no on Issue 3.

* Oh, you mean like the $1 billion Clyde Barrow claims is leaving Massachusetts isn't going to create 20,000 jobs?

OHIO Pols Avoid Taking Position in Gambling

Ohio voters will be asked to vote for a 5th time on gambling that has been defeated on the previous 4 tries.

Isn't it interesting that all of the same tactics are right out of The Playbook ?

Many avoid casino stance
Politicians on state, federal levels refuse to open up on Issue 3

Taylor, a Republican, noted that the one-time $50 million license fee that casinos would pay to operate in Ohio pales in comparison to what other states collect.

"We are charging $50 million per casino. Illinois charges more than $400 million and Massachusetts is looking at $500 million," Taylor said.

The casinos would be taxed at a rate of 33 percent....

November marks the fifth time since 1990 that voters will be asked to approve expanded gambling. All other attempts have been defeated handily, though polls have showed Issue 3 ahead.

"Gambling addiction destroys families and hurts communities," Jordan said.

Voinovich added: "I truly believe the temporary construction jobs and low-wage service positions casinos could bring to Ohio aren't worth the increased crime, gambling addiction and corruption that typically accompany big-time casinos."


The editorial is equally interesting --

Editorial: No on State Issue 3
Casino proposal would give owners lucrative monopoly; Ohioans would get leftovers

'Silent addiction' on campus: gambling

From Chicago-Sun Times --

One in four college men gamble on sports on a monthly basis, while more than one in two take part in any form of gambling -- including card-playing or going to casinos -- according to surveys by Don Romer, who has researched high school and college gambling rates for the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

In fact, problem gambling has become such a concern that the national Task Force on College Gambling Policies last month issued a report saying universities should campaign against it to the same degree they fight drug and alcohol use.

...problem gambling went from 6.1 percent of students in 2007 to 7.8 percent last year.

Nearly 15 percent of 636 college athletes Kerber surveyed -- including one in five males but only one in 20 females -- are problem or pathological gamblers.

Know when to fold 'em

Keeping a poker face on gambling
By Joan Vennochi
Globe Columnist / October 11, 2009

‘KA-CHING’’ IS on hold in Massachusetts.


A vote on gambling legislation - originally expected before the end of 2009 - is unlikely to take place until 2010. The desire to get it right is the official reason for the delay.

But Kathleen Conley Norbut, a Monson Democrat who heads a new statewide coalition that opposes expanded gambling, offers another explanation. “I don’t believe they have the votes,’’ said Norbut, president of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts. “It’s not a done deal.’’

That’s hard to believe, given the political fire power behind the pro-gambling brigade. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Therese Murray, and Governor Deval Patrick are all on board. In a recent WBUR radio interview, Murray - who coined “Ka-ching’’ to describe gambling - said its expansion in Massachusetts is “inevitable.’’

But there are reasons for delay.

Massachusetts is in the midst of a special election to fill the US Senate seat left open by the death of Edward M. Kennedy. One candidate is Attorney General Martha Coakley, whose office must craft and enforce any regulatory legislation. Norbut’s group wants the AG to come out against casinos. Murray, an avid Coakley-for-Senate supporter, could be inclined to get her candidate off the hook by delaying the issue until after the December primary.

The antigambling coalition is also targeting Patrick as he gets ready to run for reelection. A Patrick coordinator during the 2006 governor’s race, Norbut said the people behind her group make up the heart of the governor’s progressive base.

“Since when in Massachusetts do we start to believe in using the vulnerability of one class of people to benefit another class of people?’’ asked Norbut. She contends that Patrick’s base exploded when he backed casinos and is “still shattered’’ by it.

She may be overstating their resentment. Still, the 400 delegates who attended the most recent Democratic state convention passed a resolution declaring that the “Massachusetts Democratic Party, as a matter of both principle and policy, opposes the legalization of slot machines and any similar efforts to promote addictive and predatory gambling as a means of raising public revenues.’’

Norbut’s website proclaims that “having a voice in the democratic process and being a voice for those who cannot express their needs is one of my fundamental life missions.’’ Put that sweet sentiment up against the lobbyists, race track owners, and casino operators who are dedicated to turning Massachusetts into a gambler’s paradise and opponents face a rather uneven playing field.

Salvatore F. DiMasi, their patron antigambling saint, is gone as speaker of the House and under indictment for other State House-related business. The Bay State’s antigambling movement is left to hope the old divisions between slots and casino interests and competing geographic areas work as usual to derail consensus.

Scott Harshbarger, a former attorney general and ardent antigambling crusader, believes that any delay is good news for opponents. After the deal-making on Beacon Hill in the aftermath of Kennedy’s death, said Harshbarger, “They don’t dare run in and immediately convene a session on casinos.’’

Last month, the antigambling coalition headed by Norbut sent a letter to lawmakers, urging them to conduct “an independent cost-benefit, data-driven analysis of expanded gambling before legalizing slots or any form of predatory gambling.’’ According to Norbut, the group met with Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray and plans to meet with other top Patrick administration officials to make its position known.

With casinos and racinos going bankrupt across the country, opponents are also making the case that the old arguments about how much gambling helps the local economy are less valid than ever.

Given the stakes, the political arguments speak more loudly than any economic equation. Does Patrick want to further enrage his base, by signing gambling legislation during an election year? The progressive wing of his party has no alternative candidate. But Norbut warns that grass-roots supporters can and will stay home on Election Day if Patrick pushes his gambling agenda down their throats.

Politics is a lot like poker. You have to know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em.

Casino Tyranny

As my friend, Gladys pointed out, in The Playbook, there are standard rules that have been employed in other states and countries that have been thoroughly tested and evaluated and improved based on their success.

Because predatory gambling is so wildly profitable, they can afford the BEST!

They buy the best media shills like State House News that pretends to be impartial, best experts and spread money around with lobbyists monopolizing attention and spreading the propaganda.

Most folks follow like sheep, accept the pot o' gold at the end of the casino rainbow, like Palmer Town Councilor Paul Burns and vilify those who question.
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Leadership isn't bullying like Paul Burns or tyranny like Middleboro's very own Arrogant Gavel Queen, Marsha Brunelle who gavelled democracy to silence.

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Leadership is elected officials like Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) and Representative Todd Smola (R-Palmer) for their serious commonsense in carefully examining the impacts of predatory gambling and a willingness to listen.

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Wisdom is the voters who support them.
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Dear friends,

I am writing to you to ask for your support of our state senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) who was unfairly and inappropriately criticized in the Springfield Republican newspaper today.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/palmer_town_councilor_paul_bur.html

Both Senator Brewer and Representative Todd Smola (R-Palmer) have extensively researched the complex issue of expanding predatory gambling and legalizing slots in the Commonwealth. They have attended numerous meetings throughout the Quaboag Valley and at the Statehouse on this subject.

Senator Brewer's participation and leadership with the Western MA Casino Task Force lead to the development of the ground breaking report that articulates 23 major concerns for impacts to the region and calls for an independent cost-benefit analysis.
http://www.pvpc.org/casino/web-content/docs/L-WMCATLegislatorsAugust200.pdf

In meeting with the designated "point person" on the issue of casinos/slots for the State Senate, Senator Rosenberg, the task force learned that Senator Brewer has been the most persistent legislator to approach him on this issue with questions, concerns and recommendations based on his knowledge of his district and our region. Representative Todd Smola does not represent the community where I live, but like his predecessor Reed Hillman, both gentlemen have been open, responsive and eager to communicate with me and others on the matters that affect our region.

Senator Brewer, Representative Smola and the majority of western MA legislators have taken a sober and mature approach by not signing the pledge to support expanded gambling and a casino, specifically in western MA. There is no specific legislation on the "table" for debate.

The lack of due diligence by legislators who behave in a knee-jerk reaction to a plea from a specific group, without analyzing the full costs-benefit of a specific bill is a disservice to their constituents and themselves as elected officials. These elected officials who do not have detailed knowledge of the communities and the region most impacted by these proposals, seem pleased to cater to a special interest group as long as the facility is not in their community.

Please consider writing a Letter to the Editor in support of Senator Brewer's measured stance on the complex issue of expanding predatory gambling and slots.
letters@repub.com
lstabile@repub.com

Regards,
Kathleen Norbut
Monson
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Check out -- Octoberfest

The Race to the Bottom!

From Michigan --

Current closing time for Michigan bars is 2 a.m. The legislation would let bar owners pay $1,500 to sell alcohol until 4 a.m.

The bill also would lift the state's Prohibition-era ban against selling alcohol on Sunday morning if establishments pay $1,500.

The House Appropriations Committee also explored whether horse tracks and the Michigan Lottery could be a source of more money to help with the budget deficit. It may vote later Thursday to spend $20,000 to study two gambling options: one letting horse tracks install machines so customers can bet on previously run races at other tracks; the other having the lottery use new pull-tab technology in bars and restaurants.

From Chicago --

The Casino Olympics

Chicago may have lost its bid to host the Olympics but two Chicago aldermen, evidently bewildered by all the Olympic spirit, yesterday proposed to build a casino complex where the city had hoped to build an Olympic Village.

Stop Crimes Against Michigan Seniors

In a Michigan Seniors' Scam, it was reported --

“Seniors are among our most vulnerable residents when it comes to financial scams," Cox said, announcing the charges Thursday. "By teaming with federal law enforcement, my office is holding accountable those who target our parents and grandparents."

Kevin Mark Crothers of Williamston, accused of embezzling his father's Social Security funds to play Keno, gambling away over $200,000 of his father's assets.

According to Cox’s office, financial exploitation of senior citizens is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, estimated that as many as 5,000,000 seniors are victimized annually.

Is anyone investigating the predatory gambling industry for their known practice of targeting seniors?

The million-dollar club

Below is The Globe and Mail article previously referred to --

Some casino gamblers are losing more than $1-million a year.
Governments know who they are, but are doing little to stop them

Lisa Priest
From Monday's Globe and Mail
Last updated on Monday, Oct. 05, 2009 11:25AM EDT


High rollers are losing more than $1-million a year apiece and others are dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars at some Canadian casinos, according to documents that reveal for the first time the magnitude of gamblers' betting habits.

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information legislation show the top gamblers in British Columbia and Ontario are losing as much as $1.8-million and $701,000, respectively, while many others are blowing sums in the low six figures. Loto-Québec refused to provide similar data, saying it constitutes commercial information that is competitively sensitive, and that even unnamed players could possibly be identified.

After examining the data, Robert Williams, the Lethbridge co-ordinator of the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, said it is "very likely" a majority of those in the top 100 are problem gamblers. He said it's "scandalous" that governments have not done more to identify and help them - a conclusion he reached after conducting studies that show the highest net losses are sustained by problem players.

"Research has established that about one-third of government gambling revenue comes from problem gamblers," Dr. Williams said. "Furthermore, the player-card data you have provided shows that provincial governments actually know who many of these people are."

The data found on player's cards is not used to help potential problem gamblers, but often to reward them - and keep them coming back for more. Player's cards resemble hotel keys and are inserted into slot machines or handed over to dealers by the gamblers themselves to collect rewards of free hotel rooms, dinner, merchandise and cash back.

The cards contain a wealth of information about how long gamblers have played, how often they visit the casino and how much they have lost, making it possible to determine who has a problem - if governments wanted to know.

Gambling losses can be "devastating, not only because of the amount of money but also the amount of time that these gamblers spent at the machines," said Kevin Harrigan, who teaches computer-game design and has been an expert witness in cases involving players who have lost significant amounts of money.

Lead researcher and founder of the University of Waterloo slots laboratory, Prof. Harrigan assisted The Globe and Mail with the Freedom of Information request and interpreting the data.

He pointed out that one gambler spent 1,394 hours at a B.C. casino, the equivalent of 40 weeks of full-time work, based on a 35-hour work week, according to fiscal 2008-2009 data. Eight gamblers in that province individually lost $1-million or more and collectively dropped $10.6-million.

Even the lowest of the top 100 were losing big. In B.C., the last player in that group dropped $269,735; at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, where the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation operates 2,000 slot machines, it was $110,317. (Player net loss may include redeemed cash from player's card points and promotional coupons.)

Allen MacQueen, 24, who used to be cage cashier at Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax, said he was astounded by the amounts people spent, adding that many of those he knew on a first-name basis were likely problem gamblers. One man, he said, came to him five different times one night, requesting credit-card authorization to remove $25,000 each time, for a total of $125,000.

"I couldn't believe it when I'm making $10 an hour," Mr. MacQueen said.

'Nobody wins'

The casino corporation in B.C. cautioned that the top-end figures may not be quite as high as they appear. Months after providing the information on the biggest losers, BCLC officials contacted The Globe to say that the numbers may in fact be 20 per cent lower: Painting a theoretical scenario that if a player won a jackpot and took the card out before a slot attendant has reset the machine, they said that jackpot wouldn't register, even though the player has been paid, making the losses look inflated.

"Even if the figures were inflated by 20 per cent," Dr. Williams said, "it wouldn't change the fact that these top 100 players are still spending enormous amounts of money with no intervention from BCLC."

Kevin Gass, vice-president of corporate affairs for BCLC, said those patrons likely could have afforded the loss and he cautioned against making any other judgment.

"Those individuals are clearly able to make that kind of expenditure without an impact on their economic security," Mr. Gass said. "I think that's really the way that one has to look at it, and I think it's dangerous to try to guess or judge based on that level of expenditure."

Paul Pellizzari, OLG's director of policy, said the corporation is considering providing a special player's card that allows gamblers to set money and time limits. "We don't want people with problems playing our games, and we don't want to squeeze the last dollar out of the hand of every problem gambler," he said.

Dr. Williams says an automated system cannot come soon enough.

"To my mind," he said, "it is scandalous that they have chosen not to implement an automated system that either restricts how much people can lose and/or automatically asks people with excessive time/spending amounts whether they would like any help or restrictions on their gambling activity."

Brady James has seen the need first-hand. Now 45, Mr. James spent a decade working in a Victoria casino, where he started as a dealer and was promoted to floor manager, before leaving the business in 2005.

"Guess what?" he said. "Nobody wins. I'd say three-quarters of your business comes from the same 20 per cent of people."

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High rollers, big losses

The amount of time and money spent by problem gamblers can be staggering. The losses of the top gamblers at one Ontario casino and in British Columbia are shown below.

OLG SLOTS AT WOODBINE RACETRACK, Toronto

PLAYER NET LOSS Number of visits*
$701,117 294
$635,921 92
$620,884 149
$603,203 166
$521,193 165
$416,401 299
$344,686 101
$293,380 47
$261,637 124
$257,126 171

*Number of visits by each player from Aug. 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009. Player net loss may include redeemed cash from playerís card points and promotional coupons.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Number of hours spent gambling annually PLAYER NET LOSS ($ amount lost - high range)
485* $1,850,185
653 $1,542,125
1,241 $1,429,705
1,369 $1,333,345
241 $1,273,120
719 $1,155,225
920 $1,063,610
259 $1,008,495
329 $981,850
449 $936,225

*Numbers are rounded

The B.C. figures appear to show gamblers losing the largest amounts, but thatís only because that province was able to track the top players in all its casinos. Ontario, on the other hand, could only find top players at individual casinos but not its four resort casinos. As a result, Woodbine Racetrack was selected, as it has the largest number of slot machines. Had Ontarioís resort casinos been included, said one expert, player losses would have been much higher.

SOURCES: BCLC FOI, ONTARIO LOTTERY AND GAMING CORPORATION FOI

This is the rest of the series being run --

BAD BET / THE SERIES

SATURDAY

Millions in taxpayer dollars are spent feeding gambler's habits, leading some to financial ruin and even suicide, a Globe investigation shows.

MONDAY

Some people lose more than $1-million a year at government-owned casinos, according to documents that reveal the magnitude of some gamblers' habits.

TUESDAY

On the bus with vulnerable seniors.

WEDNESDAY

Protections that work.

GAMBLING FORUM OCTOBER 15

State Senator Pat Jehlen has offered the following --

The debate on expanded gambling in Massachusetts is heating up, with hearings scheduled this month, and a vote likely early next year. One of the first public discussions this session will be held on Thursday, October 15.


I'm inviting you to a debate on the issue on Thursday October 15 from 7:00 – 9:00 at Century Bank, 400 Mystic Avenue in Medford. The forum will feature speakers representing both sides of the gambling debate.


Senator Sue Tucker represents the City of Lawrence and the towns of Andover, Dracut, and Tewksbury. In 1996, Sen. Tucker organized a statewide coalition against casinos in Massachusetts. Now she is working with business, political, and the religious communities to build a diverse coalition to defeat any proposal for expansion.


Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein represents Revere, Chelsea and Saugus. She has long been a proponent of expanded gaming, believing that it is an economic growth opportunity not only in her native region, but also throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Senator Tucker and Representative Reinstein will present arguments for and against casinos and other forms of expanded gambling in Massachusetts. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions and to express their own opinions. Light refreshments will be served.

Please come -- and invite your friends for an exciting and stimulating conversation on a topic that will affect us all.

Century Bank on Mystic Avenue is easily accessible from Somerville and Medford. From Winchester and Woburn, take exit 30 off Route 93.

Losing big, losing often

The following is from Les Bernal, friend and fellow blogger --

Check out an article that ran in The Globe and Mail, a newspaper from north of the border, that spotlights how the predatory gambling trade makes most of their profits from out-of-control people. This report comes on top of Wall Street Journal reporter Christina Binkley revealing that casino companies like Harrah’s make 90% of their profits from 10% of the people who use their product.

The state Lottery’s business model is nearly the same. A national commission report sponsored by Congress and the President showed that the top 5% of lottery users account for 54 % of total sales (nearly $4000 or more each) and the top 20% provide 82% of total sales ($1600 or more each).

The article also shows how government, despite knowing this data, has done nothing to help these citizens and stop the exploitation.

Tell your state’s Lottery or Gambling Board to release who the biggest losers are in your state. Click here for the contact info for your state lottery or here for your state gambling board.


Dr. John Warren Kindt, a nationally recognized gambling critic and professor of business and legal policy at the University of Illinois, is the contributing author and editor of the three-volume United States International Gambling Report. To purchase the report, please visit here.

If you feel our efforts are worthy of support, will you consider making a small, tax-deductible contribution to help us continue?


Best,

Les Bernal
Executive Director
Stop Predatory Gambling
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Stop Predatory Gambling
100 Maryland Ave NE, Room 310 Washington, DC 20002
Contact: Les Bernal, (202) 567-6996

Cons of casino gambling outweigh the pros

From Ohio --

Proponents of Issue 3 advertise the creation of over 30,000 new jobs from the opening of four casinos. These ads are funded by large, out-of-state casino operators who want to increase their market share in Ohio. The new jobs created by the operation of casinos do not factor in the job losses from neighboring restaurants, hotels and other entertainment venues. A Hiram College study noted that the passage of Issue 3 would result in a net loss of jobs in the vicinity around the casinos.

When casinos move in, other businesses are often forced to close down. The examples of Atlantic City or Niagara Falls confirm that observation. Gambling preys on people who are poor, luring them with the promise of a life free from financial worries and burdens.

Sixty percent of casino revenue comes from gamblers making less than $25,000 per year. As a result, bankruptcy rates are 100 percent higher in counties with casinos than in counties without casinos. While casinos may bring in tax revenue, this is perhaps the worst form of regressive taxation imaginable. The poorest of the population are the ones funding this tax revenue.

Gambling adversely affects family life. Divorce, child neglect and suicides are products of gambling addictions.

Casino gambling is especially addictive with corporate strategies to stimulate the problem gambler into spending more and more. In challenging economic times, people are tempted to grasp for straws from people promising jobs. This is a very hollow promise. Gambling never creates wealth because no product or service is produced.

Gambling merely facilitates the movement of money from the hands of many to the hands of a few large corporations dedicated to the spread of gambling. Please vote no on Issue 3.

BRYAN GEORGE, JACKSON TOWNSHIP

know when to walk away

From the courier-journal --

Addicted to gambling revenue

For years, proponents of the never-ending expansion of gambling contended that it was a fantastic hedge for states against economic downturns because the various branches of the industry, from casinos to lotteries, were considered to be immune from the effects of a recession.


The current economic slump has proven the fallacy of that argument. Nowhere is that more evident than in Indiana.

The Hoosier Lottery's profit from ticket sales dropped 17.5 percent in fiscal year 2009, the largest decline of any state in the nation. Revenue tanked despite a heavy marketing campaign, the addition of new games, and the state hawking tickets that cost as much as $30 a pop.

Indiana's lottery is far from the only gambling outlet that's hurting. Two racinos are begging for lucrative tax breaks a little more than a year after opening. The owners lament that the market isn't as strong as they originally thought. And wagering and admission tax revenues have tumbled at the state's 11 riverboat casinos.

Indiana isn't the only state suddenly losing its bet on pumping up revenue through gambling. The 12 states that push casinos on their residents and visitors suffered an 8.5 percent drop in revenue from those operations from 2008 to this year, according to a study by the Rockefeller Institute.

“States cannot depend on gambling revenue,'' Lucy Dadayan, a senior analyst with the institute, told The Indianapolis Star's Mary Beth Schneider, “because it is not likely to keep pace with long-term budgetary needs and spending growth.''

Leaders in Indiana, one of the most gambling-dependent states in the nation, should be especially alert to that warning.

Statehouse powerbrokers for years viewed gambling as a painless way to generate more tax revenue. But with the market saturated and revenue evaporating, the shortsightedness of that position has been painfully exposed.

The state can now turn in one of two directions. It can begin to wean itself from a heavy dependency on gambling. Or, like a desperate addict doubling down on a losing hand, the state can toss out more favors to casino operators and churn out even more enticements for Hoosiers to throw away their money on lottery tickets.

The most important skill for a gambler is to know when to walk away.

up to 11 percent of college students have gambling addictions

Lehigh University, Moravian College, Northampton Community College take campus gambling recommendations seriously

Last week, a nationwide task force on campus gambling policies recommended colleges attack gambling addiction...


In the Lehigh Valley, schools have gotten a head start with the latest slots parlor in Bethlehem and the high-profile story of former Lehigh University Class President Greg Hogan Jr., who robbed a bank in 2005 to staunch the losses from an online poker binge.

The task force's report (available at ncrg.org) stated that

up to 11 percent of college students have gambling addictions

and many times the issues go hand in hand with alcohol abuse and other disorders.

Why would anyone continue to promote predatory gambling when the consequences are known?

Rep. John Pallone: a business like any other business

Watching the contortions of other states attempting to balance the budget with strategies already proven to fail, their tax rates and details are noteworthy, as in this article --

The legislation would levy a 34 percent state tax, a 1 percent host-county tax and a one-time licensing fee on casinos that choose to offer table games. The fee would range from $7.5 million for resort casinos, which could have up to 75 game tables each, to $20 million for stand-alone casinos, which could have as many as 200.

The taxes and fees would raise about a quarter of the $1 billion in new revenues needed to fund a $27.9 billion state budget proposal.

Notable among the comments --

"Gambling has proven to be a real nice revenue source for Pennsylvania ... but it's not quite the money tree that you all might think it is," said Rep. John Pallone, D-New Kensington. "It's a business like any other business, and we can't overly tax it so bad that gaming will leave the commonwealth and then we'll have nothing."

Oh? What other business mandates the oversight, enforcement and regulatory structure? Is there any other business that brings with it an increase in crime and addiction and family destruction?

The novelty will wear off, Rep. Pallone, and you will find yourself in the position of being forced to promote addiction to conceal the real costs of predatory gambling.

Addiction and Children

The study below raises many questions --


Currituck County Schools Media and Tech

A new study suggests that approximately 10% of U.S. children are addicted to video games, including online games.

“Video/online games stimulate the brain’s “reward centers” which gives the same high drug addicts feel,” said Dr. Charles Lee, physician for The Pinnacle Schools.

“Children and teens are becoming addicted to video/online games the way people are addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling.”

Typical Addict

TIMESONLINE offered results of a new study --

Male, white-collar, in mid-30s - NHS gambling centre reveals typical addict

The corrosive effect of “problem gambling” on the educated middle classes is revealed today in an audit from the country’s first NHS gambling centre.

The typical patient seen in the National Problem Gambling Clinic (NPGC) is a white-collar male in his mid-30s who has one or even two jobs to help to fuel his addiction, research seen by The Times shows.

Henrietta Bowden-Jones, a consultant psychiatrist who set up the clinic, said: “It is very unusual because we are looking at a highly functioning group of individuals overall......

Gambling on College Campuses

Report calls for more gambling regulation on college campuses

A national gambling task force report released last week calls for more gambling policies on U.S. college campuses.

According to the report, which is a compilation of more than a year of research, about 80 percent of college campuses have inadequate gambling policies and 45 percent of students have gambled in the last year. Researchers also estimate that 3 percent to 11 percent of college students have a serious gambling problem that can result in “psychological difficulties, unmanageable debt and failing grades.”

Crack Cocaine of Gaming

Kudos to Les Bernal for this post!

When talented political leadership takes on predatory gambling

From the Chicago Tribune article --

Trumpeting their opposition to using video gambling taxes to fund state government, Cook County Board commissioners on Thursday recommended a tweak to the county's ban on video betting in unincorporated areas.


....noted that video gambling is "something that's been called the crack cocaine of gaming."

Police also spoke against the machines, which have been linked to the Chicago Outfit.
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Why would Massachusetts support this?

157,000 Gambling Addicts

Problem gambling programs slashed amidst major gambling expansion.
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This sounds familiar --
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....a tax on gullibility or desperation...
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This is what some are welcoming into the Commonwealth --
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Some 157,000 people in the province are problem gamblers, according to a government study released last year. About 30,000 are severe problem gamblers. That group more than doubled in the five years since the last survey.
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Gambling addiction and problems increase with the number of gamblers and with increased opportunity.
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It takes big losers to reach that kind of average loss. And problem gamblers are big losers.
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The business model for casinos is that 90% of profits come from 10% of patrons.
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The Liberals have acknowledged that expanded gambling means more addiction and problems for individuals and families. That, in the words of cabinet minister Kevin Krueger, it has increased divorce, crime and deaths.
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When predatory gambling no longer provides adequate revenue, governments do whatever they can to promote and expand addiction, such as increasing loss limits and encouraging alcohol consumption --

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The number of slot machines and VLTs has quadrupled; mini-casinos have been placed in smaller communities; online gamblers can now lose more than $500,000 a year; and B.C. is becoming the first jurisdiction in North America to allow legal online betting on casino games.
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The Liberals decided, for example, to change the regulations to allow people to drink while they gambled, resulting in their losing more. The survey found the number of people using alcohol or other drugs while gambling has jumped 50 per cent since the last survey; the number who gambled while drunk or high has almost doubled.
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Instead of raising taxes to fund services consistent with responsible public policy, this is known --
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B.C. Lotteries' goal is to take an average $740 from each customer this year.
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That makes these cuts to problem-gambling programs both pragmatically and morally indefensible.

Massachusetts has the advantage of examining the experience of all others who have opted to worship at the false idol of predatory gambling.

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Studies indicate that for every $1 in tax revenue, the cost to taxpayers is $3.

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It's time for a cost benefit analysis before we follow others down a costly path.

Cost - Benefit Analysis

Cape Cod Times --


In response to your Sept. 28 editorial, "A risky gamble?" the casinos currently proposed in Palmer by Mohegan Sun and in Middleboro by the Mashpee Wampanoag have been significantly downsized from their original proposals.

Palmer lacks water, and the estimated cost is $40 million. Who will pay that?

Middleboro lacks roads. Estimated cost: $400 million. Who will pay that? The bankrupt investors?

Will Massachusetts taxpayers be expected to absorb those costs? Big Dig, anyone?

And what of the concerns raised by the Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force that have been forwarded to legislators?

Before we allow ourselves to be blinded by casino gold, a cost-benefit analysis is needed, much as New Hampshire is doing.

Jessie Powell

Middleboro

Gambling Addict Steals Bikes

Link --

A serial cycle thief who funded his gambling addiction by stealing more than 80 bicycles from railway stations was jailed for two and a half years today.

By the time officers finished doing their sums, they discovered Sener's one-man crime wave had accounted for no less than 83 bikes worth £33,000 stolen from dozens of stations across five counties.

Iraq Veteran Claims Gambling Addiction

Lawyers say bank robber traumatized from Iraq duty

Tergesen became withdrawn and moody when he returned from Iraq and spent all of his time gambling on the Internet, his attorneys said.

``The defendant appears to claim that due to this post traumatic stress disorder he has become addicted to gambling and this somehow caused him to commit a bank robbery,' prosecutors said in court documents.

United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts offers a separate section of Returning Veterans who deserve our special appreciation --

AFTER-EFFECTS: RETURNING VETERANS

Sensible Investments

Reviewing some sensible investment information in the aftermath of our casino gambling economic implosion, I happened upon the following that seems more than sensible --

Islamic law requires investments to be based on a specific asset and bans excessive speculation, interest-based lending and gambling, alcohol and pornography-related activities.

Zulkifli said the sharia's screening criteria weed out assets with excessive debt, helping them to deliver returns comparable to those of conventional instruments.

"The discipline in the sharia helps because you cannot invest in highly leveraged companies," he said.

China's economy grew at an annual clip of 7.9 per cent in the second quarter, picking up from 6.1 per cent in the first quarter and on track to hit its full-year growth target of 8 per cent. — Reuters

The "Something For Nothing Investment Strategy" got us where we are. It won't get us out of our excessive debt. Maybe we can learn from others that aren't in our position.

What Are They Hiding?

When I read the release below, circulated by CCA, I was reminded of the conduct of retired Middleboro Town Manager, Jack Healey, the tyrannical Marsha Brunelle, recognized far and wide for stifling debate and squashing the democratic process, and the arrogance of the Middleboro Board of Selectmen on being challenged for not including discussion about accepting "cheap gifts" in their meeting minutes.
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Cheap Seat Revisited After The Election

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For the past few months, CCA has stood by and watched as the Town Council, which CCA fully endorsed, goes from one that promised an open and transparent government to one that is looking more like former town councils who held volunteers and commissions in contempt and used backroom meetings as a way to block the public from government.
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We have grave concerns about the motives of Town Council member Forrester Safford. It is clear he is in charge of the Town Council-- not President Marge Frank. This week, while the other town council members looked on, we witnessed firsthand a public dressing down of the Planning Commission orchestrated by Safford. His complaint: the Planning Commission is too concerned about the environment and the interest of the town as a whole. Well, CCA says what’s wrong with that? Is Safford looking for a Planning Commission to be only for the interest of his fellow builders? Isn’t that unethical? Shouldn't he recuse himself from some of these issues? Aren't there conflicts of interest here?
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We were heartened to see town council member Richard Hosp leave the meeting early, presumably because he did not want to see any more pain inflicted on the Planning Commission. Unfortunately, the disrespectful tone from Safford caused a dedicated Planning Commission member to resign—Vic Dvorak. His resignation letter said, “After meeting with the Town Council on Tuesday night it became clear to me that politics are much more important than planning in Charlestown.” Isn’t that a shame that a dedicated public servant, embarrassed by Safford who represents special interests, feels compelled to resign?
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In the past, you have depended on CCA to bring you the truth about what we observe at Town Hall. We intend to do so
as we lead up to the November 2010 elections. Safford has already tried to tamper with zoning ordinances, only to be pushed back because CCA was watching. In the coming days, we will be vigilant to educate the public on the ways that Safford is putting special interests ahead of YOUR interests. Stay tuned.
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Meanwhile, we wait to see who Marge Frank, Charlene Dunn, Gregg Avedesian and Richard Hosp propose to fill the Planning Commission vacancy. As for Safford, we surmise he will want a developer, a blatant case of self-interest. CCA will be watching all five to see what they do.
--
Charlestown Citizens Alliance
PO Box 81, Charlestown, RI 02813
Website: http://charlestowncitizens.org
News: http://charlestowncitizens.org/stories.html
Community Bulletin Board: http://charlestowncitizens.org/cbb.html
Video: http://charlestowncitizens.org/video.html
Opinion: http://charlestowncitizens.org/letters.html

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When the discussion isn't open, public and transparent and fails to allow presentation of all sides of a debate, it should raise alarms.

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If a proposal can't withstand public scrutiny, along with the presentation of information such as is available here on United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts, and here, it should raise questions about what's being concealed.

From Rhode Island's Senator

Thank you for contacting me regarding your opposition to any legislation that
would overturn the United States Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v.
Salazar. I appreciate hearing from you.

As you know, the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar held that the
Secretary of the Interior does not have the right to take land into trust for
Indian tribes, such as the Narragansett that were not recognized in 1934, when
the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) was enacted. Two separate congressional
committees have held hearings on this case. The House Committee on Natural
Resources held a hearing on April 1, 2009, on the decision's effect on Indian
tribes, and on May 21, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee held a similar
hearing regarding the Secretary of the Interior's authority to take land into
trust.

On September 24, Senator Dorgan introduced S. 1703, a bill to amend the IRA to
reverse the Carcieri v. Salazar decision and grant the Secretary of the
Interior the authority to take land into trust for tribes recognized after
1934.

S. 1703 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, of which I
am not a member. I have concerns about this legislation, but am in the process
of reviewing it and will monitor its progress in the Senate. I will continue
to oppose any expansion of casino gambling in Rhode Island.

Thank you again for sharing your views. Please feel free to let me know of any
further concerns you may have.


Sincerely,


Sheldon Whitehouse
United States Senator

Missouri: Underage Gambling

2 Missouri casinos fined for underage gamblers


...Gaming Commission director Gene McNary said the fines show the commission has no tolerance for casinos that fail to keep out those under 21.

"That should get the message across that the law is clear," McNary said. "They (casino companies) are going to have to make the effort to make sure underage gamblers don't get on."

McNary said the problem has gotten worse since November when Missouri voters approved a ballot measure eliminating the state's $500 loss limit. Commissioners directed an industry group, the Missouri Gaming Association, to spend the next month developing a plan to combat underage gambling.

The Missouri Gaming Commission fined Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. $60,000 for the following violation --

On May 20, a 19-year-old man was caught on the gambling floor, but only after he played table games and an electronic gaming device. A security guard, table game supervisor and dealer all failed to verify his age, the report said. He was caught when a cashier checked his ID.

That same day, a 20-year-old played blackjack and roulette, and was served alcohol before a cashier checked his identification, learned he was underage, and contacted security.


At Ameristar's Kansas City casino, a 19-year-old got onto the gambling floor on April 19 when a security guard checked his ID but failed to notice his age. The young man left, then was caught when he tried to re-enter.

The passage of Proposition A meant that casino patrons no longer had to show a card allowing them to gamble, a move that previously added another roadblock for those under 21 trying to sneak onto a gambling floor. McNary noted it was the gambling interests who pushed hard for passage of the measure, and it is up to them to keep out underage gamblers.

Boston Union Teacher

Below is an article that will appear in the October edition of the Boston Union Teacher, the newspaper of the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) on Youth Gambling forwarded to me by the author, Tom Larkin.

This newspaper will be delivered to all BTU members, including retirees, in a few days. It references Scott Harshbarger' s research, when he was Attorney General.

This needs to be a crucial part of our discussion regarding predatory gambling and the flawed public policy of relying on gambling revenues to resolve temporary budget problems.

I have witnessed children buying Scratch Tickets, yet nothing is done to address the issue.

Commentary: Tom Larkin
Youth Gambling
“We will face, in the next decade
or so, more problems with youth
gambling than we will face with
drug use.”
– Howard Shaffer,
Harvard Medical School

Public officials promoting expanded legalized gambling
should pause, do some independent homework and re-think the
consequences. Independent studies consistently demonstrate long
term costs easily outweigh short term benefits by $3 to $1. (Gambling
in America-Costs and Benefits by Earl Grinols, 2004)

The costs of expanded gambling include increases in crime,
bankruptcy, addictions of all kinds. Youth gambling is an existing,
under recognized and poorly understood cost.

The National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC-1999)
provided evidence that more money is spent on college campuses
on gambling than on alcohol.

They cite a study by former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger
that minors as young as 9 years old were able to purchase
lottery tickets 80% of their attempts, 60% of minors were able
to place bets on Keno machines and 75% of high school seniors
report having played the lottery.

The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery reports 80% of those
between 12 and 17 say they have gambled in the last 12 months and
35% report they gamble at least once a week. Robert Goodman,
in The Luck Business (1996), reported evidence that gambling is
the fastest growing teenage addiction, with the rate of pathological
gambling twice that of adults. A McGill University review of the literature
(Youth Gambling Problems- 2005-on line) cites research
correlating adolescent problem gambling with delinquency, alcohol
use, adult criminal behavior, depression and suicide. They confirm
that 4% to 8% of adolescents (compared to 1% to 3% for adults)
have very serious gambling problems, while another 10 to 15% are
at risk.

Habits like smoking, gambling and alcohol use are learned. Gambling
is the only addiction promoted by government. According
to one NGISC study a new gambling facility doubles the problem
and pathological gamblers within a 50 mile radius.
Internet gambling is a potentially dangerous habit, especially
youth gambling. Electronic gambling becomes available at every
school desk, work station and living room. The US International
Gambling Report, (John Kindt, editor, 2008) cites research on the
dangerous link between gambling sites and video games. In a 2005

Media Awareness Network survey, 23% of male students in grades
10 and 11 reported visiting a gambling internet site in the past year.

Of particular concern is the special attraction of on line sports wagering
to youth.

The NGISC unanimously recommended legislation to ban
internet gambling. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement
Act Legislation of 2006 was passed, with the support of 49
state Attorney Generals. Despite this, Massachusetts Congressman
Barney Frank has filed a bill to repeal it. (Kindt)

Uninformed advocates belief gambling is economically beneficial
and will support educational funding. In most states, legislators
reduced educational allotments from the general fund by about the
same amount raised through gambling revenues. Independent
economists cite evidence that gambling is economically sterile,
ultimately destabilizing mature economies. (Kindt)

The values of hard work, doing the best you can (win, lose or
draw) and long term thinking are in conflict with the “casino culture”
values of materialism, dependence on luck and instant gratification.

Youth learn to gamble in the same ways they learn to smoke, to
drink, to over eat or to acquire any other healthy or unhealthy habit,
by acquiring a value-based attitude.

Young people today are the first generation to grow up with video
games, computers and an environment in which gambling has been
legal their entire life. They are particularly vulnerable to its lure.

The gambling industry, like the tobacco industry before it, is a
predator. Public officials should be alarmed and alert to their influence.

(Tom Larkin is a retired Boston
School Psychologist and SMART
Recovery Facilitator.)

Ohio Gambling Opposition

Ohio - Voting "No" on Issue 3 - A Statement from the West Ohio Conference UMC

One of the remarkable strengths of the United Methodist Church is our concern for issues impacting our society in light of our Christian faith and witness. The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church has an excellent informational page on Issue 3. Below is information taken from this website.


Let's do our best to be informed, discern our response to this issue facing citizens of Ohio, and vote in a way that best reflects John Wesley's three simple rules which are 1) Do no harm. 2) Do good. 3) Stay in love with God.


WEST OHIO CONFERENCE UMC STATEMENT REGARDING ISSUE 3:

Dr. Earl Grinols, a Distinguished Professor of Economics, has conducted many studies of gambling’s impact on society. The results? For every $1 gambling generates, it costs $3 in social costs. What are these costs?

CRIME
In counties with neighboring casinos, 8.6% of property crime and 12.6% of violent crimes are caused by casinos. In counties with casinos, the rates are much higher!

The Indiana legislature passed a special $52 million yearly appropriation to increase crime patrol around their casinos.

An estimated 40% of white collar crime has its roots in gambling.

JOBS
A study of Aurora, IL found that only 3% of businesses experienced an increase in revenues after the arrival of the riverboat casinos. The other 97% had experienced a decline resulting in loss of jobs.

In Atlantic City, 25% of small businesses closed 3 years after casinos opened. Prior to casinos, the unemployment rate in Atlantic City was 30% higher than the rest of the state. 10 years later, it is 50% higher than the rest of the state.

Professor Fredric H. Murphy of Temple University proved in his economic impact study of gambling in Philadelphia there would be a net loss of over 4000 jobs if gambling is expanded.

ADDICTION AND CARE OF FAMILIES
If gambling is within 50 miles, the chances of people in your community becoming addicted increase by 50% (75% if your community is poor).
60% of casino revenue comes from those making less than $25,000 per year.

Each time casino companies write an proposed amendment to the Ohio constitution, they include language that benefits them. What’s wrong with Issue 3?

TAXES
The amendment defines transactions to be taxed. Any money made by the casinos on cash games or slot machines would be exempt from the tax, because "cash" is not in the definition of what is taxable.

Penn National is saying that they intend to pay taxes on cash re-ceipts. It does not matter what they say. The language in our Constitution will determine any legal challenges. The only way to change this would be through another statewide ballot issue.

As a publically owned business, Penn National’s investors would be within their legal rights to sue Penn National for paying taxes they are not required by law to pay.
None of the money will go into the state’s General Fund.

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION FOR A MONOPOLY
The State’s Constitution is the highest legal document. Amending the Constitution to allow for a monopoly is not the proper use of our constitution.

In 2008, Penn National spent millions of dollars to defeat the gambling issue before Ohio voters. One of their own points was that it would enshrine a monopoly in the state’s constitution. Now that it would benefit them, it is no longer a valid point of opposition.

DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY
Proceeds will go to all 88 Ohio Counties based on population. Counties suffering from high unemployment and high poverty will not be major beneficiaries of the money. Those who have will continue to receive more.

Cook County not hooked on video gambling

Cook County not hooked on video gambling

Cook County is one step closer to banning a form of gambling that several speakers at a hearing Thursday compared to crack cocaine.
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Commissioner Tony Peraica said gambling could become addictive for not only gamblers but politicians.
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“Considering the infrastructural and imbedded corruption in Cook County, the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, to not ban video gaming and allow 45,000 machines to be installed (in the state), would be like bringing a bottle of scotch to the Betty Ford drug and alcohol clinic,” Peraica said.
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Most of the speakers before the committee Thursday opposed video gaming. They talked about the especially addictive nature of video poker, the fact that it will disproportionately affect the poor, and its probable ties to organized crime.
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Commissioner Bridget Gainer, a sponsor of the ordinance, noted that Cook County’s local share of the tax money would amount to only $300,000 or $400,000. At the same time, the county would be on the hook for added law enforcement and other costs relating to the increase in gambling.
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Cmdr. Michael Anton, head of the vice unit for the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department, said the department opposes legalized video gaming. He called it virtually impossible to regulate.

Follow the MONEY #3

With the vultures circling ever closer .....
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Mohegan Sun said today --

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The state should charge casino licensing fees between $25 million and $50 million and level tax rates in the low 20-percent range on gambling revenues, according to a top executive at the Mohegan Sun casino firm, one of several business interests circling as the Legislature considers gambling legislation.

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Who's driving this bus? What happened to those wildly optimistic figures that have been presented? The ones that opponents have long argued were grossly overstated?

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Like these revenue projections --

Slot machines could be installed at the tracks and start earning money for the state within 90 days, Pacheco said.
Testifying before lawmakers on Tuesday on the state’s budget crisis, Cahill estimated Massachusetts could generate $2 billion to $3 billion in up-front licensing fees from slot parlors, plus up to $250 million annually in tax revenues.
The revenue would offset sagging sales at the Massachusetts Lottery, which Cahill oversees, and tax collections that have left the state facing a $1.1 billion deficit this year and $3.5 billion in cuts for the budget being debated for next year.
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[Jeffrey Hartmann, Mohegan Sun’s chief operating officer] Hartmann said.. About 22 percent of the Connecticut casino’s business comes from Massachusetts with about 70 percent from New York and Connecticut.....

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22% coming from Massachusetts? Is that the figure perennial casino cheerleader Clyde Barrow uses? Check it out.

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Kudos to Statehouse News for FINALLY including this disclaimer:

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Editor's Note: O'Neill & Associates advertises in the News Service's Weekly Roundup.

Follow the MONEY #2

In April 2009, the Mashpee Wampanoag leadership informed the Middleboro Board of Selectmen that the planned Billion Dollar Mega Casino would not include such grandiose plans, such as the hotel for which the town was to receive, was it projected to be $4 million per year? (The about was disputed since the 'comp' rate of casinos is so high.)

Middleboro casino plans may be scaled back
MIDDLEBORO —
Mashpee Wampanoag tribal officials told selectmen Monday night they are moving ahead with plans for a casino, but the size of the casino likely will be scaled back, with room for future expansion.
“We don’t want to build something too big,” Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell said, citing the current economic climate.



Note --

Lest anyone still believe this project is viable, the Agreement the Town had with the Tribe included that the Tribe would pay for "infrastructure" for Route 44 which is currently gridlocked, to the tune of about $400 million.

At the time, funding might have been available through one of the DOI programs were the property to be placed into "Trust." 2 SCOTUS decisions render that meaningless, with additional cases pending.

Follow the MONEY #1

Kathleen Norbut, President of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts, wrote the letter below to the author of a recent article (printed with permission).

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Ms. Norbut has raised several significant issues, one of the most important of which is MONEY. (emphasis mine)

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Note that the proposal is now half the size --

Hi Lori,

I just read the article that you wrote yesterday
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/post_16.html
that states that Mohegan Sun plans to build a one billion dollar casino in Palmer. It was reported (Southbridge Evening News, September 23, 2009) that Mohegan Sun representatives spoke about building a casino that would cost more than $500 million dollars at the proposed Palmer site at the recent forum at the Council on Aging.

Half the value - same mitigation problems and costs.

Perhaps this detail should be clarified to the public?

Jennifer Lendler, casino and banking expert, testified at the Senate hearing at the end of June 2009 that casino revenues and the industry's ability to create large capital projects have dissipated. She also stated that the upfront licensing fees suggested by casino proponents have dwindled to half the figure projected by Governor Patrick and the AFL-CIO bill submitted by Sen. Menard, Reps. Walsh and Wallace.

The Menard, Walsh, Wallace bill calls for a "one-time ten year licensing fee" with automatic renewal and no fee at the time of renewal. How would the diminished projected revenues cover costly regional mitigation, reduce property taxes, ameliorate the state's ~4 billion dollar structural deficit, lottery losses for local aid, tourism and education among other expenses cited for gambling revenues?

Senate President Therese Murray speaks frequently about the "hundreds of millions of dollars" leaving Massachusetts for CT and RI gambling establishments. Interestingly, she omits the need to clarify to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth that only a percentage of the gambling portion that is taxed might be re-captured with legalizing slots.

She does not talk about the estimated $15,000 per year costs to the taxpayer for each gambling addict, which are projected to double with closer proximity to slot facilities or the enormous costs for developing a gambling regulatory control bureaucracy. AG Coakley stated in her testimony at the above senate hearing that NJ employs 500 state workers in their gambling control division. The Senate President is the AG's US Senate campaign finance committee honorary chairperson - certainly they are both knowledgeable about these costs. Should media not be pressing these elected officials to produce definitive costs and budgets to suppor their one-sided proposals?

Why are the costs not presented to the public by proponents of slots and the media?

It is also interesting to see that the Greater Springfield Convention &
Vistors Bureau board would like offset funding for the restaurants and tourism declines the city will experience should class III gambling be legalized.

"But Chiecko said the board would like funding for marketing to support arts and restaurants affected by a casino.'

How many times can the same dollar be spent? Perhaps the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitor's Bureau board members are not aware of the work of the Western MA Casino Task Force that articulates numerous costly fiscal impacts to the region?

I thought you would like to fact check these issues and present the larger issues to the region that should be driving the casino discussion such as, would taxpayers support public policy such as state sponsored gambling that derives ~80% of their profits from and depends on the destruction of ~10% of problem gamblers? Would taxpayers support an industry that uses predatory business practices and manipulation with slot machines to extract maximum revenues from players?

Would taxpayers with comprehensive information about costs to local economies not demand an independent cost-benefit analysis before any expansion of legalized gambling is considered in the Commonwealth?

An independent cost-benefit analysis of these proposals is the rational next step for the Commonwealth.

Thanks!


Kathleen Conley Norbut, M.Ed., LMHC