Why no casinos in Texas? = Republicans (John Cornyn) (bankrupt, zoning)

[Trainwreck20]

I am neither Republican or Churchy, and I whole-heartedly oppose expanding gambling in Texas; in fact, I wouldn't mind curtailing lottery and/or bingo, but those appear to be sacrosanct... My wife is not R or C, either, and wants nothing about gambling to expand in Texas.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I am neither Republican or Churchy, and I whole-heartedly oppose expanding gambling in Texas; in fact, I wouldn't mind curtailing lottery and/or bingo, but those appear to be sacrosanct... My wife is not R or C, either, and wants nothing about gambling to expand in Texas.

Out of curiousity, why do you oppose it? I agree that people of different stripes oppose gambling in Texas and that it's not all Republican and/or churchy types, and that's fine with me. What I don't like are shady dealings between politicians and lobbyists.

[JohninAustin]

If anything today's GOP contains the more libertarian streak that would approve of legalized gambling. As it is though there is bipartisan opposition to casinos. Not sure why someone would try use this issue to attack Republicans.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by JohninAustin

If anything today's GOP contains the more libertarian streak that would approve of legalized gambling. As it is though there is bipartisan opposition to casinos. Not sure why someone would try use this issue to attack Republicans.

Read about what happened. Google Abramoff, Delay, gambling. It was a very shady money making deal.

[ReppingDFW]

I support gambling in Texas. Many of the opponents of expanded gambling in Texas oppose things like seatbelt laws and texting laws because "the government doesn't need to protect you from yourself", but want the government to protect the people from the ills of gambling.

[Trainwreck20]

Gambling is designed to prey on people with disorders. Sure, 95% of the people will not have a problem with going in and playing the games every now and then, but the institutions count on the people who cannot stop themselves from throwing away every penny they can find. It wrecks lives/homes and the people associated with them. I know people that work in the 'online gambling' industry (i.e. any online game you can incrementally 'buy' and 'spend' currency in), and they are constantly fishing for better ways to hook OCD people that just can't stop themselves.

Sure, you can gamble in LA or NV, or a few other places, but I do not want to make the argument "they are just going to get mugged eventually, why don't we mug them ourselves?". If gambling is remote and not immediately accessible, many people that may be prone to obsessive gambling will never find that out and will go on happily. If you have a casino every 50 miles, they will pretty much catch everyone they can. That is why the industry wants a bigger foothold in TX, so they can get more whales.

[ReppingDFW]

Originally Posted by JohninAustin

If anything today's GOP contains the more libertarian streak that would approve of legalized gambling. As it is though there is bipartisan opposition to casinos. Not sure why someone would try use this issue to attack Republicans.

I'd have to say that today's GOP leans strongly towards social conservatism.

[Trainwreck20]

I support gambling in Texas. Many of the opponents of expanded gambling in Texas oppose things like seatbelt laws and texting laws because "the government doesn't need to protect you from yourself", but want the government to protect the people from the ills of gambling

Where the hell did you come up with that connection? That sounds pretty manufactured, to me. The only people I know (that are still alive) that oppose seatbelt laws could give a flip about gambling. I have also yet to find anyone (granted, I don't interact much with teenagers) that actually opposed making texting illegal. Some think you should cover it under current laws (reckless driving) but none think it should be legal.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Gambling is designed to prey on people with disorders. Sure, 95% of the people will not have a problem with going in and playing the games every now and then, but the institutions count on the people who cannot stop themselves from throwing away every penny they can find. It wrecks lives/homes and the people associated with them. I know people that work in the 'online gambling' industry (i.e. any online game you can incrementally 'buy' and 'spend' currency in), and they are constantly fishing for better ways to hook OCD people that just can't stop themselves.

Sure, you can gamble in LA or NV, or a few other places, but I do not want to make the argument "they are just going to get mugged eventually, why don't we mug them ourselves?". If gambling is remote and not immediately accessible, many people that may be prone to obsessive gambling will never find that out and will go on happily. If you have a casino every 50 miles, they will pretty much catch everyone they can. That is why the industry wants a bigger foothold in TX, so they can get more whales.

This isnt a good reason to not have gambling in Texas. We can't shape everything to only help and cater to the five percent who have no self control, when 95% of us know our limits. If gambling were legal in Texas, Galveston (thanks to Feritta), would have casinos lining the beach. No remote locations.

[ReppingDFW]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Gambling is designed to prey on people with disorders. Sure, 95% of the people will not have a problem with going in and playing the games every now and then, but the institutions count on the people who cannot stop themselves from throwing away every penny they can find. It wrecks lives/homes and the people associated with them. I know people that work in the 'online gambling' industry (i.e. any online game you can incrementally 'buy' and 'spend' currency in), and they are constantly fishing for better ways to hook OCD people that just can't stop themselves.

Sure, you can gamble in LA or NV, or a few other places, but I do not want to make the argument "they are just going to get mugged eventually, why don't we mug them ourselves?". If gambling is remote and not immediately accessible, many people that may be prone to obsessive gambling will never find that out and will go on happily. If you have a casino every 50 miles, they will pretty much catch everyone they can. That is why the industry wants a bigger foothold in TX, so they can get more whales.

So why should the 95% of the people be denied access to in-state gambling because 5% of people lack self-control?