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Gambling: Gambling Revenue
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The author of "Turning the Tables on Gambling" (Shaw/Waterbrook), Jantz believes the so-called harmless purchase of lottery tickets can be a source of potential trouble. The revenue that is generated through the sale of lottery tickets does not add funds to the education budgets of most states. Instead, states simply divert funds to other parts of their budget. But Jantz is particularly concerned about the way the gambling industry is targeting young people. "We now live in a culture encouraging an activity that destroys a percentage of the lives it touches." says Jantz.
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Gambling used to be what a few unscrupulous people did with the aid of organized crime. But gambling fever now seems to affect nearly everyone as more and more states try to legalize various forms of gambling. Legalized gambling exists in forty-seven states and the District of Columbia. The momentum seems to be on the side of those who want legalized gambling as a way to supplement state revenues. But these states and their citizens often ignore the costs that are associated with legalized gambling. The social and economic costs are enormous.
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Since the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act proposed by Congress likely will not be successful at stopping Internet gambling, Congress should accept it as a form of recreation in which some people should have the right to engage. If Congress prohibits Internet gambling, the on-line gambling industry will be driven offshore where there may be no age or validation regulations, thereby increasing the very risks that the prohibition laws are supposed to prevent. Instead of trying to prevent the impossible, Congress should either let Internet gambling become self-regulating or, at most, impose regulations that are similar to those already imposed on legalized gambling sites in the United States. This would allow American citizens the ability to continue exercising their freedom of choice about the forms of entertainment in which they want to participate and would provide additional revenue to the tax coffers of the state and federal governments.
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Gambling has spread to such an extent across the United State of America that it is difficult to keep up with the information. While it might be expected that Las Vegas, Nevada, is the major United States gambling destination (with 1996 revenues of $4,250,000,000), and Atlantic City, New Jersey (which authorized legal gambling in 1978), is the second gambling destination in the United States of America (with 1996 revenues of $3,800,000,000), how many people might know that the third, fourth, fifth, and six gaming destinations (in order) are the American States of: Mississippi (1996 revenues of $1,800,000,000), Louisiana (1996 revenues of $1,700,000,000), Illinois (1996 revenues of $1,100,000,000), and the Reno/Sparks area of Nevada (with 1996 gambling revenues of $885,000,000)? (Dale Kasler, 1998, "A New Bet In Reno." The Sacramento Bee, June 14, pages A1, A22, and A23, page A22) Changes (or development and evolution) over the past twenty years have been incredible: and although the following "square footage/meters" data are out of date, they are useful for comparison purposes: in 1994 it was reported that whereas Nevada had some 4,501,129 square feet of casino space (418,165 square meters), Mississippi had 1,162,406 square feet (107,990 square meters), and New Jersey (Atlantic City) only had 797,155 square feet of casino space (74,057 square meters). (Anon., 1994, "High Stakes In Mississippi." USA Today, July 7) As Meyer-Arendt pointed out:
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Gambling increases welfare costs. Gambling weakens the stability of family life. Gambling lowers the standard of living and necessitates a larger welfare burden... raising taxes. Increased revenue from gambling means larger claims for welfare.
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When you think about gambling, what picture do you see? If you are a legislator or business leader in a depressed area, you might see Tunica County, Mississippi. Once called "America's Ethiopia" because of its oppressive poverty and high unemployment, Tunica now has thriving casinos, almost no unemployment, and new tax revenues that have built roads and public housing. If you are worried about funding for education, you might think of Georgia, Ohio or sixteen other states, which dedicate profits from their state lotteries for public schools. If you are an American Indian, you might see the Mashantucket Pequot of Connecticut, whose Foxwoods casino brings in nearly one billion dollars a year -- money that can be distributed to tribe members, or spent on nursing homes, recreation centers, or to establish economic independence for the tribe. Or if you are someone looking for an exciting place to take your family on vacation, you might think of Las Vegas, with its new theme parks and kids' play rooms alongside rows of slot machines.
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