Proposal could allow casino-style slot machines

Posted: 2/17/06

Proposal could allow casino-style slot machines

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

AUSTIN—A proposal meant to give the Texas Lottery Commission more flexibility in developing new games and taking advantage of new technology could put casino-style slot machines across the state, said Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and public policy for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission.

The changes would allow the Lottery Commission to make some of their games electronic, enabling instantaneous financial gains and losses via a computer network.

“When you get an instant game on a computerized network, you basically have casino-style gambling,” Paynter said.

To compound the issue, the proposed changes eliminate a requirement for the Lottery Commission to notify the public of any upcoming gaming changes or provide any “justified response” to concerns about commission actions.

The combination of the rules changes could create a situation where the Lottery Commission has the power to legally expand gambling across the state without accountability to the public, Paynter said.

This initiative marks the latest effort by gambling proponents to expand gaming throughout the state, she said. They largely have been denied in the past, but lawmakers can be tempted by the prospect of another revenue stream for a state facing a budget crunch. The Texas government could tax casinos and gaming activities.

“They tried in the last legislative session to get electronic slots through the bingo system,” Paynter said. “Now the Lottery Commission is using the Iowa model to get slot machine games by introducing rules that would allow for a lottery slot machine. In Iowa they just call it a ‘monitoring vending machine.’

“The Lottery Commission says that this is not their intent, but they do not deny the potential development under these rules. As an executive agency, Gov. Perry can stop the Lottery Commission from taking this pathway of folly.”

Iowa lawmakers recently passed similar changes to allow computerized lottery games only to see these “monitor vending machines”—casino-style slots —pop up in restaurants, stores and bars across the state. More than 4,600 terminals are operating in Iowa in 2,500 locations, and more than 5,000 additional units are on their way.

The rapid expansion of such monitor vending machines pushed Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to call for a moratorium on more terminals until the matter is investigated.

The Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission long has been a leading voice against gambling throughout the state, arguing that it hurts the economically disadvantaged most.

Paynter believes money spent gambling could be better invested into neighborhoods.

“It’s so sad when you see that because you think this is what these people are defining as hope,” Paynter said. “Just think if they would have left that money in their community. If they would have spent that money on consumer goods, their communities would be so much better off.”

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