On the Edge of a Gambling Boom

Family policy matters and engaging and informative weekly radio show and podcast produced by the North Carolina family policy Council hi this is John Ralston presidency family and was grateful to have you with us for this week's program is our prayer that you will be informed, encouraged and inspired by what you hear on family policy matters and that you will for better equipped to be a voice of persuasion for family values in your community, state and nation, and now here's our house to family policy matters. Tracy Devitt brings thanks for joining us this week for family policy matters then watching as the North Carolina legislature is grappling with legalizing's ports gambling in our state and see family has been writing quite a few email updates on this recently. Interestingly, in our culture, where almost every issue is polarized along party lines.

This is one that has supporters and opponents on both sides of the political aisle attorney Chris Derek joins us today to talk about this in a wide range of issues surrounding gambling. Chris has a long history on this issue back as far as his work assisting Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson when Dr. Dobson was on the bipartisan National gambling Impact commission, which released its hallmark report in 1999, much of which is still relevant for today. Will Chris wrote an article for us, published in the current edition of NC family magazine family North Carolina Chris Derek. Welcome to family policy matters good to be back with y'all so we hear so much in support of legalize gambling enterprises out they are in the in the public square. It sounds reasonable on the face of it, but remind us very quickly. If you would why increasing the face of gambling in our state is detrimental to the vulnerable and to our families will beckon your students show more problem. What we do.

When you wanted but do more because it will gamble of those who do good percentage anywhere from 25% will come problem gamblers. Very high correlations between problem gambling in criminal activity, job loss, bankruptcy, homelessness must involve wanted some of the worst and even suicide. In fact — to help study that shows the lease want out of every 20 Americans have had their lives turned upside down because of commotion gambling legalize gambling comes with a very high price for something that has to be factored in whatever you're considering expanding the presence of gambling.

Like most drawn so in other words, even though we may not personally know anyone who has gambled say bought a lottery ticket and and become addicted to talking about what's best.

As far as public policy for our state right which is actually kind of a different thing. Well, that that is not what happens to the vulnerable and also ensure that Ashley Slocum also those bad factors. Damn what you know those are good example of that. The shorter interplay and its proponents cited people betting on sports already. So what so the Gen. assembly out of the money, sports betting, live, and go under that bill were sent it just the state would only get about 8% of the revenues generated and operators of the gambling clauses like draft teams and fan dual pocketing the room. Let's talk a little bit more about that sports gambling bill then so should we be surprised there are some prominent Republicans that are pushing this well maybe not gambling is one of those issues. Interestingly always fall directly on 41 so you will have all the publicans that are interested in doing anything to bring in revenue. And then you'll have a number of little opposing on social issues, but social factors like I just mentioned, but you also have Democrats that are concerned for the very same reason for the impact it is and can have all low income folks. A good example is with respect to the watery.

You have to think about the fact that the North Carolina lottery generated $3 billion in revenues last you Ask where did that money come from a state run lottery is actually the most aggressive form of taxation that there is study after study showing the lower income folks who are funding the overwhelming majority of lottery collections.

For that reason you'll get a lot of Democrats will come back behind in thinking through what does this impact if you increase gambling and will often oppose all those when you mentioned the trade-offs that there are some good things that the state might get right from legalizing gambling, which of course we hear a lot of those out in the public square. But what you're saying. I think I'm hearing you say that the trade-off is just not enough to justify all the negatives that come with it. That's why state regulated enterprises like the lottery will be with more revenues can be used for great projects and things like that in the states getting revenues for the sake shown that were states authorize commercial gambling. All taxpayers including non-gamblers in the paying higher taxes for fewer services in their states in the worst budget problems over the long and always it doesn't always play out. And then when you back in the social factors that we would mention it becomes costly I believe for a state to further expand legalize gambling listening to family policy matters weekly radio show and podcast of Carolina family policy Council. This is just one of them anyway since he works to educate citizens across Carolina about policy issues that impact families vision is to create a state a nation where God is on just freedom versus families for life's cherished more information about his family and how you can help us to achieve this incredible vision for our state and nation. Visit our website and see family.org and see family.org and be sure to sign up to receive our email updates action alerts intercourse or flagship publication family North Carolina magazine. We also look for you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Let's talk a little bit in general about first the relationship and interplay between the federal and state law when it comes to gambling, because that complicates everything doesn't fit.

Generally, states are free to you gambling unless there's a specific federal law that governs that the gambling activity on the good example of how this works is with the professional and amateur's works protection act and that wall was a federal that essentially bans sports betting throughout the United States.

But in 2018. The US Supreme Court were killed that act and when it did a number of states acting immediately to legalize sports betting in their home state. So it's an interesting interplay that also comes in the play, and federal and state law will universe with respect to Indian gambling.

All of the Indian gaming regulatory act is a federal law that provides the means for tribes to operate casinos on fraud that sets up across whereby tribes first enter into a contract or contract with Gov. of the state before tribes and also casino gambling in its day, and that's how the Cherokees ended up with casino over 25 years ago our state by giving employees a compact Gov. Jim on since that time, the church expanded their gambling operations through new compacts with the governor here in 2021. The running gambling that estimations in Cherokee and Murphy that offer unlimited Las Vegas style gambling including sports talk a little bit about the different elements or levels of gambling are are some worse than others are. Some more addictive than others you thing you have to keep in mind with respect to gambling and how to distinguish about the horns gambling to create is what Connie gambling is an things that affect that are really the proximity of gambling and the speed with which the former gambling allows you to play or to gamble on.

So if you say so you have a casino or a video sweepstakes for work within an easy drive your house that's concerning from a problem gambling standpoint. That's because casino style games such as slots for video poker and fasting may provide a quick outcome. You can then immediately play again and that feeds the gambling high, meaning that these type type games are more addictive in nature and for the same reasons about the legalization of statewide sports betting is a huge concern on sports betting is no longer simply placing a bet on the outcome of your favorite teams again this weekend. It's a little young nonstop daily form of gambling and that's can be placed on anything from college forced to close force to even electronic sports, so this will of gambling now is something that can be constant and repeated quickly and pulled sports betting bill passes the North Carolina decided that it would be readily available would really be an understatement.

Bill be no need to travel Walter Cherokee are the biggest sports gambling available legally that from the convenience of your own home and at the end of the day. The bill would make every home in North Carolina potential sports that casino. That's why it's it's interesting that the national Council on problem gambling came out with a recent survey on gambling in United States and they said it will really on the threshold story. The biggest expansion of gambling legalize gambling in the nation's history and the reason they say that is the legalization of sports betting that's going on across the country and is fueling the unprecedented explosion gambling and and problem gambling that will see in the United States, right, people may not really realize I appreciate you bringing that up about sports gambling, because with the advent of all these computers and electronically being able to place bats you can actually on if somebody's going to make the next backscatter who's going to make the next basket in basketball. You're right it is minute by minute and that makes it more addictive. Doesn't that absolutely does speed with which you can play an inch and it's quick and she is punching a button now the place is encouraging that gambling does not fall along party lines.

As far as those who oppose gambling do we have an opportunity here that to talk to our representatives in a way that we might not. If this issue fell more along party lines. I think we do think that it gives us opportunity. For example, with the sports betting bill, we've got a chance to push back on that if you're against this sort of thing. The expansion gambling and I believe that whether your representative is a Republican or Democrat. They will listen to you on this issue so you can you know we've got a great opportunity to fight back on the Internet which passed the Senate and the flight sports bill you can contact your state House member three NC families action center which is a great way to go and getting your message out to your house member and I would remind people that if they are not getting the emails from NC family policy Council and see family.org that they could sign up for those and we frequently send out alerts when there are important things happening in the legislature and easy ways to contact your representatives on those issues. We just about out of time for this week. But before we go. A reminder that our guest today, Chris, Derek has written an in-depth article on gambling for the most recent edition of our magazine family North Carolina that's available online@ncfamily.org or if you signed up to receive them. You should be getting your copy of that magazine in your mailbox Chris Derek thank you so much for being with us today on family policy matters. You been listening to family policy matters. We hope you enjoyed the program and plaintiff to do it again next week to listen to the show online and to learn more about NC families work to encourage and inspire families across Carolina go to our website it NC family.org that's NC family.org. Thanks again for listening and may God bless you and your family