| MT. LEBANON, Texas
(ABP) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry wants to introduce a new level of gambling
in the state, and a Baptist legislative expert says it is opening the
door to casino-type gaming.
The governor’s
school finance proposal includes support for Video Lottery Terminals at
horse racing tracks and on land owned by native American tribal groups
in Texas. Perry’s plan calls for the machines to generate $2 billion
over the next three years, based on a projection of 18,000 machines
being made available to the public.
Suzii Paynter,
director of citizenship education and public policy for the Christian
Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, said the
machines are much more than lottery terminals. A player can access an
electronic version of virtually any casino game, including slot
machines.
If the VLT plan is
approved, Paynter said “racinos” will be coming to Texas. “Slot barns”
containing 1,000-5,000 video slot machines will spout at the state’s 10
racetracks and on tribal lands.
“The VLT proposal
opens the door in Texas to Class 3 gambling,” Paynter said.
In Texas, gambling
is divided into three classes. Classes 1 and 2 cover social games,
Bingo, the state lottery and parimutuel gambling. Class 3 refers to all
other gambling.
Paynter said VLTs
are bad for two primary reasons – the addiction that comes with it and
its role as a gateway to other forms of gambling.
A study by the
gambling commission in Louisiana showed that 30 percent of all gambling
revenues come from pathological addiction, she said.
“The social costs
are very high,” Paynter said. “It brings with it addiction, bankruptcy
and crime. In this industry, addiction is not incidental; it’s essential
to the business.”
Video slots also
have a “cannibalizing effect” on the consumer economy, she said. “All
the money that goes into a gambling machine comes out of the consumer
economy.” Video gambling doesn’t create new wealth or products nor have
the multiplying effects helped other industries.
They will create a
few jobs but not many and not high wages, Paynter said.
In fact, 20 percent
of the money will leave the state, some going to “off-shore”
enterprises, she noted.
“This also would be
a community rip-off,” said Phil Strickland, director of the CLC. “For
every dollar the state collects in revenue, our communities will pay $3
to take care of the social consequences.”
Introducing VLTs in
Texas will require two-thirds approval of a constitutional amendment
before it can be placed on the November general election ballot.
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