Md. ban on slot-like devices costly for Allegany schools

[The Straight Story]

Md. ban on slot-like devices costly for Allegany schools

Allegany County's gaming administrator says a state ban on devices that resemble slot machines led to a 33 percent drop in revenue from locally regulated gambling last year. Gerald Joy said Thursday that as a result, local schools will get $170,000 less than in 2008, and local fire and rescue agencies will get $57,000 less. He cited a law that took effect in July 2008, the start of the 2009 fiscal year. The measure banned electronic gambling machines that resemble slots. The machines dispensed pull tabs, also known as tip-jar tickets, a popular form of gambling across Western Maryland. Local officials say the law was passed to clear the way for state-sanctioned slots parlors, including one planned in Allegany County.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.briefs263sep26,0,2065131.story

[Chulanowa]

1. Tying public funding to gambling is obscene

But Republicans love it because it makes the poor overpay for government services.

[Lagomorph]

2. So how does it make anybody do anything?

Seems like an odd observation.

[DJ13]

3. Financial pressures from being poor leads to gambling to alleviate their poverty

How many wealthy people have you seen with severe gambling addictions?

(And no, officially the stock market doesnt count!)

[Chulanowa]

5. As DJ13 points out, poor people gamble because of the hopes of "winning big"

This results in a net loss of wealth on their part.

And if they don't gamble, or if the gambling is removed as in this example... it's these same people who suffer from cuts to services.

[madmom]

4. Like Allegany county can afford to make their schools worse!