Casino owners and often times, public officials make the claim that casinos represent “personal freedom,” as they argue that the act of gambling itself is a choice. According to them, it’s a “voluntary act.” That’s not the whole story.
It happens time after time. The casino developers roll up with their shiny new toy, a scaled model of a giant casino complex complete with state-of-the-art everything. No detail left to the imagination. The smell of money lingers in the air and intoxicates the local elected officials, area business owners, and the townspeople. And, of course, the promise of jobs. Lots and lots of jobs. Not all jobs are created equal. Just because a casino employs people doesn’t prove that...
When one considers the tough positions local and state government elected officials face with increasing costs and declining revenues, it’s easy to understand the allure of a local Casino. This week we will look at what it actually means to local government budgets. There is a lot of data and substantiated evidence which proves that government entities who rely upon casino revenue have budget shortages, because it is anti-economic growth, unsustainable and inadequate. States that use gambling revenues as a...
Proponents of off-reservation casinos paint gambling expansion as win-win for local communities- promising jobs, millions of dollars in economic development and reinvestment, and a never-ending source of revenue for local governments. But as so many communities have discovered the hard way, the honeymoon is often short lived, if it happens at all. In Wisconsin, there are two such proposals pending before the Bureau of Indian Affairs for approval: Beloit and Shullsburg. Casinos market their establishment with gimmicks like free transportation,...
“By the time Jim Calabrese moved to Maryland in 2001, gambling had already taken a huge toll. The hours he spent and the money he lost playing the slots and video poker caused his wife to leave him with the couple’s three daughters in tow. She left “entirely because of the gambling,” he said. Not to mention, he also narrowly escaped criminal prosecution after stealing thousands of dollars from his then-Las Vegas employer to feed his habit.”
“Her traveling companion sensed that Diana Abelt had a gambling problem. Whenever they took a drive to northern Wisconsin for the weekend, Diana insisted on stopping at a casino to play the slot machines. The companion tried taking different routes to help her avoid temptation. But it was of no use: No matter where they turned, it seemed another casino would pop up.” Watch the Video
“When Jason failed to place a large bet for Wu, a bet that would have won a very large amount of money, Mark turned to violence to settle his score. Wu shot Jason in his own home, along with two of Jason’s roommates…”
“A man suspected of multiple burglaries across Wisconsin and other states was arrested Tuesday night at Ho-Chunk Casino near Wisconsin Dells. Hall is a suspect in three Sauk County burglaries in June 2014, as well as other burglaries in other counties and states. “He was the subject of numerous crime alerts and a statewide manhunt,” said Sheriff Chip Meister.”
“In reality, it was more than $500,000 she had taken from the company. For her crimes, she received eight years in prison.”
“Supporters of a proposed Ho-Chunk casino in Beloit hope the proposal will move more quickly through federal review now that Gov. Scott Walker has decided against the Menominee Nation’s request to build a casino in Kenosha.”
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