When it comes to wringing more gambling dollars out of residents, lawmakers seem willing to try just about anything. States and private companies are pushing plans to allow video terminals in a hotel complex, keno machines in bars and even lottery sales in the backseat of taxi cabs. What’s next scratch off lottery tickets sold in public bathrooms and toll booths?
The lawmakers are essentially turning into gambling addicts in their zeal to come up with new ways to generate revenue by getting residents to throw away their money.
In Georgia, several lawmakers are backing an effort to allow video gaming terminals, which are similar to slot machines. The move comes as a developer unveiled a plan to build a $1 billion hotel and theater complex that would include a video gambling complex in Gwinnett County. The project has the look and feel of a casino but it is not called a casino.
Lawmakers back the idea as a way to generate revenue for the state HOPE scholarship fund, which provides college funding for state residents. The fund has been supported by the state lottery. But lottery revenues have been unable to cover the scholarships. In their zeal to support education, the lawmakers fail to understand they are robbing Peter to pay Paul by stripping wealth from residents by getting them to gamble away their money. Fortunately, Gov. Nathan Deal gets that and opposes the development of video gaming, which he said looks like a casino.
In North Carolina, some lawmakers are pushing a plan to legalize keno machines that would allow residents to place bets every couple of minutes. It would be like having a lottery drawing 10 times an hour. The keno machines would be available in taverns, and are essentially a regressive tax on those who can least afford it. The measure would spread gambling to more outposts around the country, making it easier for more residents to gamble away their money. The Greensboro News & Record rightly called the plan a “sucker’s bet.”
Bill Brooks of the North Carolina Family Policy Council opposed the plan and called keno highly addictive because of constant play. The Legislature currently prohibits video poker and video sweepstakes games.
In New York, a company that wants to provide credit card services in taxis is also pushing a new technology that would allow the sale of lottery tickets in the backseat of cabs and at gas pumps. Yes you read that right.
The gambling push shows that many lawmakers lack good ideas to solve state budget woes, and instead are looking more and more to strip wealth from the very residents they were elected to serve.
