Minnesota Gambling

There is a new organization working to stop gambling expansion in Minnesota. They come loaded for bear. The name of the organization is CAGE "Citizens Against Gambling Expansion." Here are some of their reasons for not expanding gambling.

We don’t want Minnesota to become the next Las Vegas. Consider these facts:

• Las Vegas has the highest suicide and divorce rates in the nation. (Sperling’s 2004 “America’s Most and Least Stressful Cities” Report)
  
• Las Vegas is ranked #4 in the nation for sexual assault crimes. (The Rape Crisis Center)
  
• The mayor of Las Vegas has proposed legalizing prostitution because it currently occurs illegally, and could generate tax revenue if legalized. (Las Vegas Review Journal, October 24, 2003)
  
• Nevada ranks 39th nationally for its high school graduation rate and dead last for the number of students who go directly to college after graduation. (Las Vegas Review Journal, April 11, 2004)
  
• Las Vegas casino owners are pushing for permission to operate strip clubs inside their casinos. (Time Magazine, “The Strip is Back,” July 26, 2004)
  
• Las Vegas-style political corruption led to the resignation of the Speaker of the House in Missouri, the conviction of 17 legislators and lobbyists in South Carolina, and guilty pleas for six members of the Arizona Legislature who accepted bribes on a bill to legalize casino gambling. (“Gambling in California,”California Research Bureau, January 1997)

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This is a good start to the discussion. But it is hard to discern who is doing what for what reasons. The Tribal groups that have gambling in MN profit greatly by them but the growth of their industry seems to be attracting many greedy opportunists. Here are some of the proposed growth areas that are in the works. (This also is from CAGE's web site)

Minnesota already has 18 casinos, the lottery, parimutuel betting, a high-stakes card club, and pulltab gambling. Now some people want more gambling – lots more. Here are just a few of the gambling schemes that have been or will be considered by the Legislature or the Minnesota Racing Commission in the next few months:

• A Las Vegas Caesar’s-style casino at the Mall of America
• A state-sanctioned casino at Canterbury Park
• A harness track and casino in the Twin Cities north metro area
• Video slot machines in neighborhood bars
• A joint state-tribal casino in the Twin Cities metro area

(Weird apostrophe glitch in the above post isn't it?)