Gambling industry has money, but opponents insist they have hope_80904

Posted: 8/06/04

Gambling industry has money,
but opponents insist they have hope

By Kirsten Pasha & Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP)–In the Bible, casting lots–which many consider gambling–was a way for God's sovereignty to reign through randomness. Now gambling is drawing lots–lots of people, that is.

A survey released by the American Gaming Association claims 2 million more Americans visited a casino in 2003 than in 2002. Consumers spent more than $27 million at commercial casinos in 2003, more than twice as much as the $11 million spent 10 years before.

But even those numbers–from the gambling industry itself–vastly understate the extent and impact of gambling, according to John Kindt of the University of Illinois, a professor, researcher and outspoken critic of the gambling industry.

While the American Gaming Association says 26 percent of the public gambles regularly, Kindt notes 80 percent of Americans gamble in some form or another.

And while gambling opponents can claim some recent victories, the popularity of gambling remains strong. Nonetheless, some Christians say they are fighting the gambling urge with a hope based on more than luck.

“The whole culture of building our hope for our future on something so random as winning the lottery … or a roll of the dice … is an underlying spiritual value–a form of nihilism that we don't have anything to hope for,” said Suzii Paynter, director of public policy with the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission. “We (Christians) believe in hope grounded in our faith, not on sheer luck.”

More than 80 percent of people surveyed by the gaming association–regardless of age, income, U.S. region or religious participation–believe casino gaming is acceptable for themselves or for others.

The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries reports 40 states and the District of Columbia have lotteries. Only Utah and Hawaii prohibit all forms of gambling.

“There's so much gambling in America, no one can wake up and say they've got an itch they can't scratch,” said Thomas Grey, executive director of the National Council Against Legalized Gambling and a Methodist minister.

Although gambling is now pervasive, Grey said the tide is turning.

“In 2003, gambling tried to expand in 46 ways in 30 states,” he said. “We won 43 and lost three in 2003.”

While gambling interests always will outspend opponents, he said, opposition has the advantage of popular support.

“We're beating them with our people against all their money,” said Grey, whose organization has an annual budget of $120,000.

“As long as the opposition organizes, they can beat gambling anywhere,” he said.

The gambling industry's most prominent victory this year came in Pennsylvania, where state lawmakers enacted legislation July 4 to bring 61,000 slot machines–second in number only to Nevada–into horse tracks, resorts and slot parlors.

New York and Maine authorized slot machines at racetracks one year ago. And as of June 21, five American Indian tribes in California can add an unlimited number of slot machines to their casinos.

Michael Geer, chairman of Pennsylvanians Against Gambling Expansion, said the organization is “very troubled” that the years of working with church groups, grassroots groups and within the legislature have failed to stop the expansion of gambling.

“It's an odd irony that on Independence Day, the Pennsylvanian government … chooses to become dependent on gambling revenues,” said Geer, also president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

“The bottom line is that many Americans and many church-going Americans believe (gambling) provides free money to the government. They're happy to see poor and elderly lose lots of money just so they don't have to pay more taxes.”

Kindt, who teaches business and legal policy at the University of Illinois, said gambling opponents are successful in defeating gambling proposals more than 90 percent of the time. But the gambling interests will accept a low success rate, he said, because they gain so much financially from their occasional victory.

Although Pennsylvanians against gambling suffered a substantial blow, gambling opponents in other states triumphed.

“The picture is not altogether bleak,” said Weston Ware of Dallas, a board member of the National Council Against Legalized Gambling and legislative director for Texans Against Gambling.

Ware said many states haven't passed proposals for video slot machines and gambling expansion.

Kentucky has been an “ongoing victory site” against the expansion of gambling, according to Nancy Jo Kemper, media spokesperson for Kentucky Citizens Against Gambling Expansion.

Kentucky has a lottery and a thriving thoroughbred horseracing industry, but attempts to bring free-standing casinos and slots have failed. The latest attempt failed, Kemper said, because of squabbling among gambling advocates.

In Texas, gambling opponents recently made headway during a special legislative session with the denial of a proposal to fund Texas schools with a percentage of proceeds from video slot machines–a victory Paynter attributed to the activism of church members.

“Gambling corporations are huge, with very deep pockets. … And they do not fight fair,” Paynter said.

“They don't like opposition, and it takes courage from our church communities to stand. But we stopped it here–a hard-fought fight.”

Cy Fletcher, a layman at First Baptist Church in Baytown, was one of those activists.

“I find it strange that this is supposed to be the most family values-oriented administration in Austin in years … and they want to fund education on the backs of (gambling) victims,” Fletcher said. “It's a moral issue.”

But Judy Patterson, senior vice president and executive director for the American Gaming Association, compared gambling to golfing or seeing a movie. She said gambling is a form of entertainment, which is not moral or immoral. “Gambling is a way to spend our leisure time, essential to our health and well being, that makes it easier to get up and go to work Monday morning.”

Gambling opponents, however, say comparing gambling to the entertainment industry is unfair and misleading.

“Movies and Disney World don't create addicts,” said Kindt, the University of Illinois professor, who has testified about gambling before Congress.

While gambling supporters–including many legislators–tout the increase in tax revenue from gambling, Kindt cited studies that indicate each tax dollar generated by gambling will cost governments $3–in industry regulation, increased social services and criminal-justice expenses.

In fact, Kindt said, the socio-economic impact of gambling addiction is comparable to drug and alcohol addiction. When governments legalize and encourage gambling, they are “creating addictions among their citizens,” he said.

Ware said about 70 percent of all revenue to casinos comes from slot machines, which rely on consumers' addiction to play.

Video slot machines, known as the “crack cocaine of gambling,” have the potential to double the number of compulsive gamblers in a state in one year, he added.

In addition to increasing addiction, Ware said, gambling produces more bankruptcy, crime and corruption. Most studies don't measure gambling's social and economic costs, like embezzlement, borrowed money and broken homes, he said.

Karen H., international executive secretary for Gamblers Anonymous, said the nationwide organization had to increase the number and locations of meetings for addicted gamblers. However, they don't keep statistics on the increased need or know the reason for it.

Patterson, the gambling spokesperson, said Gamblers Anonymous is an “incredible tool” for addicted gamblers. However, she said research suggests new support groups don't reflect an increase in addicted gamblers, rather more public education on gambling problems and resources made available.

A new threat to increase compulsive gambling, opponents say, is online gambling–devastating because it is available to anyone with Internet access. Congress has yet to come to a consensus on how to handle it.

Grey of the National Council Against Legalized Gambling said he gets frustrated with the apathy of many Christians. But the David-vs.-Goliath successes of grassroots opposition should invigorate Christians and scare the gambling industry, he said.

“It makes us look like we're players. We hold the winning hand,” he said.

“I think we're at a tipping point. We're going to lose a few more (battles), but the real story here is the wins.”