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Illinois Gambling Take Down Half-Billion Dollars
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS --
Poor public policy converged with disastrous economic conditions to force gaming revenue in Illinois in 2008 to decline by $415 million from the previous year. Casino take in the state equalled $1.6 billion, down from just over $2 billion in 2007.
Taxes collected by the state fell accordingly, off by $177 million. Local municipalities lost $22.6 million in gambling tax revenue.
The American Gaming Association announced the figures this week, as the worldwide recession hit the state's nine casinos hard. The struggling economy and unemployment may have done damage, but another government-imposed condition was at least as responsible for the declines.
Smoking bans at Illinois casinos went into effect on January 1st, 2008. While those affected casinos saw the twenty-one percent drop mentioned, casinos in the three states that neighbor Illinois all saw growth in revenues, despite the recession.
Further, Colorado also imposed a smoking ban on gambling venues at the start of 2008, and that state also had double-digit revenue drops, falling $100 million off the 2007 pace. Spokesman for anti-smoking groups who had claimed sales are not affected by smoking policy were nowhere to be found.
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Recent Comments
| Posted by Jeff Weinstein on 02/14/2009 11:52:23 PM EST |
| As a 42 year old smoker, with several friends of similar ages who also smoke, I can tell you that our habits HAVE CHANGED! Rather than meet up at the local bar on Friday night, we now play cards and drink at each other's homes on an alternating basis. While we may still be up for a day at the races, or a trip to the casino, these trips are fewer and farther between. None of us (thankfully) have been hurt by bad economic conditions. It is simply a matter of COMFORT. One neighborhood bar has already gone out of business, and another is hanging on by a thread. The ANTI-SMOKERS point to bars on Rush and Division streets in Chicago to bolster their false claim that no-smoking laws do not affect local businesses. But these are establishments frequented by young people, looking for a hook-up. If you want a TRUE picture of the situation, the casinos can provide one. Ditto the local neighborhood bars. Despite the fact that the ANTI's will claim that lost revenues are due solely to economic circumstances, this is completely untrue. Again, we would rather hang out on private property where we can drink and smoke (they go together hand-in-hand) instead of having to go outside in freezing weather to have a cigarette. |
| Posted by History Buff on 02/15/2009 01:35:10 AM EST |
| The pharmaceutical foundation that funds smoking bans by grants to the American Cancer Society (the middle man that profits) is also behind the upcoming alcohol ban, the obese nonsense, the national medical database and more. It is all designed to run money to THEIR pockets for their products and control of 'we the people'. Beware with what is coming! ... One FYI: They also started and funded Tobacco Free Kids, an org that can do their lobbying, legally. They have for years funded and fund the negative research. Wake up Illinois!!! Follow the money!!! |
| Posted by virgilk on 02/16/2009 09:41:43 AM EST |
Since History Buff has it right 100%, all I have to add is, Johnson & Johnson created the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with 5.6 Billion in stock. RWJF uses the stock income to provide Grants to the ACA, ALA and others to provide Grants to so-called"Grassroots Groups" to push for Higher Taxes on Tobacco products and Smoking Bans. The ACS, in fear of losing their Non-profit status created the ACSCAN as a for-profit agency to pass funds as Grants to these same groups.
This is nothing less than a Marketing Plan to sell Smoking Cessation Products for PROFIT. It has never been about Health.
With the Net available to all, it is impossible to hide the facts any longer, at least for those who are looking for the truth. |
| Posted by Michael J. McFadden on 03/17/2009 05:20:22 PM EST |
Lance certainly called it right with his closing comment: "Spokesman for anti-smoking groups who had claimed sales are not affected by smoking policy were nowhere to be found."
Those groups, and the politicians who supported them should be held LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE for the losses: *NOT* the general taxpayers of Illinois. The Antismokers were lying, they knew they were lying, they have *always* lied, both about the economic effects of bans and about the "deadly threat" of wisps of smoke in decently ventilated bars/restaurants/casinos.
To see more about those lies, read the "Stiletto" at:
http://encyclopedia.smokersclub.com/257.html
I'ts short and very definitely one-sided (it's meant to be a rousing sort of handout material) but its facts are honest and accurate.
And to see more of how they lied about the casinos and gambling money, take a quick look at this five year graph from Minnesota:
http://arclightzero.web.officelive.com/Documents/MNGraph.pdf
Now you see why I say they *knew* they were lying. They should pay resitution or go to jail and do the time for it.
Michael J. McFadden,
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"
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| Posted by Ken123 on 07/28/2009 09:10:52 PM EST |
| Killeen, Texas passed a smoking ban effective June 1, 2009. Just about all the breakfast restaurants lost over 30% of their business. The Smokers moved down the street to Harker Heights and if Texas passes a statewide ban, we'll move the Breakfast Club into private quarters and restrict entry to members only. |
| Posted by Michael J. McFadden on 10/17/2010 10:30:08 AM EST |
Unfortunately the page holding that referenced graph for Minnesota has been erased. It is reproduced with an update though on page 18 of the freely readable, downloadable, and printable "New Stiletto: Lies Behind The Smoking Bans" at:
http://encyclopedia.smokersclub.com/257.html
Apologies for the inconvenience, but the Stiletto has other good information as well.
Michael J. McFadden,
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"
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