The Tacoma News Tribune has led the charge in educating the public about the dangers of Tim Eyman’s I-892 (Slots for Tots,) and today’s editorial pretty much sums up the debate: “Voters should keep gambling initiative off November ballot.”
Increasing access to gambling increases addiction. In a national study, residents who lived within 50 miles of a casino were twice as likely to be problem gamblers than those who did not. I-892 would put 18,255 slot machines into over a thousand neighborhood bars, restaurants and bowling alleys across the state: nearly all of us will live within 50 miles of the most addictive form of gambling ever devised.
Tim Eyman and the foreign and out-of-state gambling conglomerates bankrolling his initiative, should not be rewarded for their callow disregard for public welfare. Kudos to the TNT for taking such a strong stand on this very important issue.
I found your website for the fist time today, and you headlines caught my attention and I have to say that I could not disagree more. I think that having slots would be great I like the idea to be able to raise money for city and state governments to improve general way of life. Gambling is a voluntary tax, if you do not want to pay it, don’t play it. I am not a gambler, I have never been any good at it, and so I do not do it. I can walk by any kind of gambling machine and just say no.
I have always found it hard to believe that we must outlaw things, just because someone can not control themselves. One thing that I have learned in life is that if you screw up, you pay the price. Believe me I have paid the price. And if you are going to use the argument that just a few people can not take responsible for there own actions to not allow gambling then you might as well start outlawing tobacco, alcohol, food, and the list can go on and on.
Rich
Rich, you may not gamble at the casinos, but you seem to be willing to gamble on them. You may want to believe that tax revenues from gambling is a something for nothing solution, but studies from other states show that direct costs to government sometimes are larger than the revenues. For example, in Maryland a study estimated it cost the state $3 for every $1 raised.
Furthermore, the gambling industry does not create wealth… it merely diverts it from other economic activities. The estimated $1.2 billion annual revenues generated by I-892 is $1.2 billion that won\’t be spent on other taxable activities. Unless you think putting a slot machine into your neighborhood bowling alley is going to somehow make it a tourist destination? If anything, I-892 will suck revenues out of our communities and into the coffers of the Canadian and Nevadan gambling conglomerates that are in the midst of consolidating control of our non-tribal casinos.
David
Let the people that want to gamble…gamble.(without having to drive 40 minutes). I go to Montana 10 times a year. They only have Video Keno and Video Poker…nickle machines. There is no prostitution or drug addicts hanging around the lounges,bars,taverns and by the way, who in the hell are you to choose for me whether I gamble or not, it\’s none of your business what I do with my money. I don\’t tell you what to do with your money, if you don\’t want to gamble….DON\’T.
Steve, Montana is not Washington, and nickel Video Poker machines are not the video slots I-892 slates for our local communities. You certainly have the right to gamble… and you may exercise that right in Montana, or Nevada, or 40 minutes away at a tribal casino, or at a local cardroom, or even with punchboards and pulltabs at your local tavern. You can also buy lottery tickets just about anywhere.
But I don\’t see why we have to make it more convenient for you to exercise this right than it already is. I no more want slot machines on my local main street, than I want liquor sold in the 7-11s.
I\’m guessing you are of the libertarian persuasion, so we\’re not going to change each other\’s minds. Suffice it to say that while I fervently believe in personal liberty (I consider myself a \”civil libertarian\”) citizens also have the right to create laws that regulate actions of individuals that have an impact on society as a whole. And problem gambling has an enormous economic impact on the rest of us.