Thoughts on the passage of the gambling bill in Ohio and other issues - The Best Online Casino Guide Blog
The 2009 election is over, and in Ohio, Issue 3 passed by 53% to 47%. Issue 3 passed where 4 ballot votes failed in the past 25 years. Passage was probably helped by the tough economic issues all Americans are facing.
Issue 3 will create four casinos in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. Gambling proponents expect the passage of Issue 3 to create 34,000 jobs and prevent Ohio residents from taking their money to the neighboring states where casino gaming is legal.
As we mentioned before on the blog, there was some opposition to this vote, especially from out of state organizations attempting to cross the line between church and state and impose their narrow minded morality on the citizens of Ohio. It is to the credit of Ohio’s voters that they voted with their heads and with their financial future in mind. It is a simple fact that properly run legal gambling is a strong economic benefit and it will be a benefit to the citizens of Ohio.
While Passage of Issue 3 is a step forward, much work remains if we are to enjoy the fun and financial benefits offered by legalizing casino gambling and online gambling. In Massachusetts, Governor Patrick is attempting to push a bill that not only puts licensing of casinos in the hands of elected officials instead of an impartial panel but he has included an amendment that would make online gamblers subject to criminal penalties. It is amazing how out of step the Governor is with his own state and its elected officials. Massachusetts is the home of Barney Franks, sponsor of the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to legalize online gambling. It boggles the mind that anyone would rather spend millions of dollars putting the citizens of Massachusetts in prison for up to 2 years for placing a bet online instead of raising millions of dollars in taxes to benefit the state.
It seems that the U.S. Federal Government may be starting to realize the benefits to be found in legal gambling. According to the Wall Street Journal, "The U.S. Joint Committee on Taxation has been running simulations based on how the economy might look if the UIGEA ban on online wagering was lifted. Working on the assumption that the state would charge a small fee for all deposits made by US citizens at online gambling organizations, the committee estimated that tax revenues generated over a ten-year period would be approximately $41.8 billion." This is in addition to licensing fees and taxes on profits from online gambling. Hopefully the government will realize the enormous tax revenues that gambling can generate and move forward towards legalization.
The bottom line is this. We have two choices. One is to continue to criminalize the recreational activity of gambling and drive revenues offshore or into the hands of criminals. The other choice is to legalize casino gambling in all 50 states, where voters approve, with a series of ballot initiatives and to legalize online gambling. The second choice means billions in tax revenues while keeping the money out of the hands of criminals and shady offshore operators. Gambling is not going to go away and it is just plain foolishness to deny citizens the benefits of billions in tax revenues, especially in the current economy. In a world where tobacco and alcohol are legal and generating major tax revenues, despite all the serious health risks, it is utter hypocrisy to keep gambling illegal.
What are your thoughts about legalized online gambling and legal casino gambling. Post your comments and let us know what you are thinking on this important issue.
