Jeramie Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I’m listening to a local radio station right now. They are talking about Gambling in Oklahoma. It was legalized last year. There are now Casinos (with full gambling) springing up all over the state and the lotto is in full swing including power ball. The radio station has an expert from Gambler Anonymous; she was just say that the group sizes have literally tripled in the past year and is still on the increase! I can officially say it…. “Told you so.” (BTW, I voted no.) Give it a year and look up the statistics on Suicide, Divorce, Armed Robbery, etc. just my $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newarcher Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Gambling and lotteries are nothing but taxes on the poor. Predominantly, the poor play the lotto and gamble more than anyone else. In GA, it is used to fund the hope scholarship where ever kid in GA can go to college almost for free if they maintain a B average. So it is basically like the poor, who pay little or no taxes, are sending my kids to college. I think it is horrible because when I am stuck in line at a gas station to pay for gas and I see a mom tell her son "NO, you can't have that, we can't afford it" while she sinks $25 into scratch off's...it is heart breaking. Twice, I bought a little kid a pack of gum or some candy when this happened. The kid, of course, was happy and the mother just scowled at me. I never see anyone in a business suit playing the lottery, just the people who look like they really can't afford to....right next to their 12 pack and their cigarettes. New Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! I totally agree. Voted against it and will NEVER play. It's too bad the kids have to suffer. Same people that play are the same ones we're supporting with welfare oftentimes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Big suprise there. We all knew what would happen when it started. I believe a lotto is fine but legalizing all gambling......NO way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinsonovagun Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Oh hey, what about all that crap "it's going to help the schools"......hmmm......look how much better our schools are NOW.....yeah right..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! It is going to contribute money to the schools from the Lotto. However the money from other gambling just pads pockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! http://www.lottery.ok.gov/january1320062.htm Here is the initial transfer. You can't expect it to immediatley change our schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reloader Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! [ QUOTE ] It is going to contribute money to the schools from the Lotto. However the money from other gambling just pads pockets. [/ QUOTE ] The vast majority of Gambling money does just that...pad the pockets of the casinos. The money that goes to schools will just get balanced by the state deciding that with all the gambling money they can rebudget and put other money somewhere else so the schools don't realy get any better. And, finaly like everyone else has been saying...crime goes up and poverty gets worse. It is not that gamblers are crooks or gambling causes crime...although some would argue that gambling debt can lead to crime, the real issue is that those environments are just one big Con game...and that environment invites more cons, crooks and loan sharks. The draw of "Free" money feeds off the false hopes of people that can't afford it. And even when they do win...The average lotery or jackpot winner is bankrupt again within 3 years, they just don't know how to handle that kind of cash dumped in their lap all at once, they never learned how to handle it. Just a comment I heard that sums up the gambling industry. This comment was made by a former security officer for a major casino in Nevada. They had a large sign on the front of the casiino that said "Our slot machines, 97% returns!" This would lead a sensible person ( or gulible not sure) to believe that 97% of the money put into the machine will get paid out in some jackpot to someone. the remaining 3% would then be the casino's profit margin. WRONG!!!! The truth behind the sign was that 97% of the slot machines would return SOME MONEY, SOME TIME!!! Technicaly you could not sue them for false advertising, but it is truely decietful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted February 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! I will never buy a lotto ticket. I really dont have a problem with other people buying them but personally for religous reasons, it aint gonna happen. The problem there in is exactly as stated above. People are looking for that get rich in an instant way out. If you buy a couple of tickets here and there, fine. But the harsh reality is that people are leaning on this and soon sink every penny they dont have into a dream with billion to one odds. They put in the "Phone Card Machines" before gambling became legal in Oklahoma. Many of the stores would pay you say 50% of your winnings in cash, in exchange for the phone cards. It got so bad that a local gas station, in my little bitty town, would stay open 24hrs to accomidate the gamblers. There was literally a line behind every machine. I couldnt even go in because of the smoke and foul language. It would crush me every time I saw those people lined up looking for the gold nuget. I went in on Christmas Eve trying to find Cranberries... Christmas Eve! And I kid you not, the machines were full. That is a problem IMHO. They soon after made the phone card games illegal. A few months pass by and gambling is legal. Now you can Drive by the cassino on HWY 412 at 3:00a.m. on Thursday and youll be lucky if you can find a parking spot. As Adrian Rogers stated (to paraphrase a little),"They arent in the Winning business or they would be out of business." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exturkinator Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! It is unreal to me how the general public is overwhelmingly pro-gambling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popgun Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Just about every year or two it is on the ballot again. Lotto, lottery, casino gambling. It gives me a good reason to vote. We already have the Horse race Track in Hot Springs, and a dog racing track at West Memphis. The arguments are always for keeping the gamblers in Arkansas so they won't spend their money in Mississippi or Oklahoma. I hope we can continue to keep gambling voted down, but I think one of these days they will succeed in getting it. Why do they always say the revenues will benefit the School Systems, but if you look at Mississippi, their School Systems are still in a low category? Once the tax revenue starts rolling in to the State Government they will find another way to waste it. Now I hear that On line Gambling is a big industry. The only real winners are going to be the ones running the gambling businesses. I still contend that we don't need the gambling in Arkansas, and will continue to fight it here through my vote, and with what little influence I have. ....popgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Legal or not...you can't legalize common sense! I have no problems with gambling being legalized in every state. Really not my problem or buisness what folks spend their pay checks on. If not gambling...then in a bar etc... I get a kick out of the people who don't have squat...complain about not having squat, but yet they have a cell phone, car they can't afford...these type of people will continue to live outside of their means and nothing you or I say will change that. So I chuckle to myself and move on!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJL Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! lottery: lot-ter-ee (noun). Taxation for the mathematically-challenged. gambling:gam-bil-ling (verb). God's way of telling you that you have too much money........(see cocaine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Snapper said it the best way i do believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Not all gamblers are bad. I take 20 or 40$ every now an again and play some slot machines. Also play alotta cards here at school. The key is being responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! we keep voting it down in wyoming. yea. keep that garbabe in vegas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Would have to agree with snapper here. There is no way to make someone have common sense. People are either responsible or they are not. There are still no casinos that I am aware of in TN. Really dont think here since the lottery came that there has been any significant rise in numbers of suicides, divorce and armed robbery that have been in any way attributed to the lottery. Most of the people who are playing were playing before, just going across the state lines to get tickets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Ohio's been fighting that for years. There's really two sides to that coin, but personally, I'd prefer it stay away from Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Don't let them fool ya like they did in NY. They may make claims that the earning from the gambling will be ear marked for this or that program. THEY LIE! here in NY all lotto earnings were supposed to go to our educational system. YEAH RIGHT! What a joke that is Ranger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted February 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Education.... Yeah. They said on the news the other day that Law makers are wanting to tap into the State's reserve so they can get our teachers near the national pay scale! It was billions of dollars. Im betting that none of that money ever filters where its suppose to.... Btw, Kyle I couldnt agree more. Honestly I would NEVER gamble for both personal and religous reasons but if you are going to gamble do so with a light heart. People that spend $25, $50, even $100 here and there honestly arent the problem. Its those that dump everything into gambling and shortchange their kids and society. It is a ripple effect. When people lose everything to gambling it effects us all.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! I have a truck driver like that. When he sits down in front of a machine or card table he goes broke. He can't walk away, he will go without food rather than walk away. My church is starting up a gamblers anonymous and I really wish he would attend. He is obsessive/compulsive about everything. He used to be an alcoholic, junkie, living under a bridge. I am not saying he is a bad guy. He has turned his life around alot from that stage but everything he gets interested in for the next month that is all you hear about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okbowman Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Re: Imagine that! Yep, its just ridiculous! I voted "no" on the lottery issue. I hate it and you're right about it being a tax on the poor(it is amazing what some people do with their money). Crime is on the upswing here in Central Oklahoma. I live in a very nice neighborhood and I've had my vehicles broken into twice in the last year, I get so mad too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowJoe Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Re: Imagine that! I personally don't want gambling other than what we already have with Lottery. I like the idea of going to the riverboat. I live at least an hour either way and that is enough of a deterrant to keep me from making too many trips. LIke most things in life, moderation is the key to restraint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whttlbucksteve Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Re: Imagine that! I dont like to gamble I have better things to nuy with my money.Like guns,fishing gear and my next hunting item.That is like hitting the lotto to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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