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Casino Funds Competitors' Political Opponents
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI --
It is interesting to see that, when struggling for legislative approval, the biggest opponents of new gambling ventures are often existing gambling ventures. It was revealed this week that an Illinois casino contributed $150,000 to oppose a ballot iniative in Missouri removing loss limits.
The Casino Queen of East St. Louis donated the money to Voters for Good Government, advocates for retaining the Missouri loss limits law, which encourages more daring gamblers to cross state boundaries.
So opposition to new Missouri gambling becomes simply about who gets the money, not morality. Just as Pennsylvania and Governor Ed Rendell have viciously sought to shut down even the most miniscule of private gambling operations not as moral enforcement, but to destroy competition with revenue producers.
So also did Florida cruise lines lobby heavily against racinos be allowed in Broward and Dade Counties. The concern was not the social impact of gambling, but the potential loss of gaming patrons.
Voters must be cautious to distinguish from the empty rhetoric regarding protecting the people, and look to who holds the money, and where it would go if the law changed.
Kentucky Governor Beshear speaks of the dangers of gambling to children, but he does not mind those dangers if they pay taxes. A principled stand, by any on either side of the casino industry, would indeed be refreshing to find.
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