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October 22, 2012

Open Thread: The Table Gaming Referenda

Carroll Andrew Morse

1. STATE CONSTITUTIONAL APPROVAL - (APPROVAL OF AN ACT AUTHORIZING STATE-OPERATED CASINO GAMING AT TWIN RIVER IN THE TOWN OF LINCOLN) - (Section 22 of Article VI of the Constitution)

Shall an act be approved which would authorize the facility known as “Twin River” in the town of Lincoln to add state-operated casino gaming, such as table games, to the types of gambling it offers?


2. STATE CONSTITUTIONAL APPROVAL - (APPROVAL OF AN ACT AUTHORIZING STATE-OPERATED CASINO GAMING AT NEWPORT GRAND IN THE CITY OF NEWPORT) - (Section 22 of Article VI of the Constitution)

Shall an act be approved which would authorize the facility known as “Newport Grand” in the city of Newport to add state-operated casino gaming, such as table games, to the types of gambling it offers?


The conventional wisdom seems to be that the two table gaming referenda on this year's Rhode Island general election ballot are going to pass. A recent Taubman Center poll recorded 55+% support for both questions (with a 4.5% margin of error), and supporters of table gaming at Twin River have run one of the most visible broadcast advertising campaigns in this cycle with little visible opposition.

So is the CW correct, if so, will table gaming be good for the state of Rhode Island, and is there any insight to be had into what residents of Lincoln and Newport, who would still have to approve table gaming in local referenda to allow it to happen, think of all this?

Comments

I'm so glad the people of this state continue to play catchup to other states in the region. This should have been passed at least 1 decade ago. But I digress.

Posted by: jgardner at October 22, 2012 4:39 PM

All casinos are proof positive for the old adage

~ "A fool is easily parted from his money"


They won't get one penny of my hard earned cash

Posted by: S at October 22, 2012 4:54 PM

Was it so long ago that gambling was a sin, homes were destroyed and wives cried while children starved?

Can't you still go to jail for "running a book"? I suppose it is no longer a societal crime, the gravamen is in "avoiding taxes".

I wonder where this will go. I once knew a guy with an interest in a dog track. He told me that after the state got through with them (taxes),if it weren't for the parking fees and restaurant, it wouldn't be worth it. Whither the dog tracks? I went to the dog track near Boston once (Wonderland?), I can believe they weren't making any money. What a dump. But then, it was all about "gambling". I suppose that now it is "gaming", all has improved. Why did everyone wear tuxedos to the casinos featured in James Bond movies? will we see that at "Twin Rivers"?

Posted by: Warrington Faust at October 22, 2012 5:15 PM

I don't think they care what you wear, as long as you're covering up the important parts... just bring cash, and lots of it.

Posted by: StuckHereinRI at October 22, 2012 5:33 PM

Amazing how a vice becomes a good thing if the Gov't thinks it can make a buck. What, I wonder, is the cost in human misery of these "hundreds of low paying jobs"?

Posted by: Mike at October 22, 2012 5:55 PM

Completely off topic, is that poll from McLaughlin & Associates showing Whitehouse leading Hinckley by only 49%-41% just wishful thinking from a GOP pollster, or could Whitehouse actually be vulnerable?

blogs.wpri.com/2012/10/22/republican-poll-puts-hinckley-within-8-points-of-whitehouse/

If Doherty can run 14% ahead of McCain to make the RI-01 race a dead heat, could Hinckley run 10% ahead of McCain to do the same for the Senate race?

Posted by: AuH2ORepublican at October 22, 2012 6:45 PM

I occasionally make my way to Twin River for a cigar and a cocktail but I refuse to put a dime into any of their machines. Just a few of observation:

1. No one ever smiles as they're walking out.
2. There is apparently no dress code whatsoever. I've seen people fresh of the basketball court without a shower.
3. It's hard to believe they're struggling with the number of people patronizing this establishment.

I have to say that I lean in favor of the table games probably because it might keep them competitive and it won't come out of my pocket. Maybe that's callous of me but as 'S' said, "A fool and his money..."

Posted by: Max D at October 22, 2012 7:12 PM

Max D:
"3. It's hard to believe they're struggling with the number of people patronizing this establishment."

I have no idea how casinos operate. The old horse and dog tracks operate under the "pari mutual" system. All of the money bet on every race is "pooled"; the government gets its taxes, the house gets a cut, the remainder is divided among the various classes of winners. Assuming (I am not sure)that 80% must be paid out to betters, the potential profit for the owners is determined by how large the tax bite is. The legislature determines the size of the owner's take as a percentage. The owners can argue about operating costs, etc. but it is uphill.

The fellow I knew who had part of a track did it this way. He was President of the Mass. Senate during WWII and "gas rationing". People could not drive to the track. So, he arranged for the train to stop at the track and got 20% ownership. I wonder if that would work with a casino? Would the "Casino Americans" stand for it?

Posted by: Warrington Faust at October 22, 2012 8:10 PM

I think I have this right, alcohol and tobacco are both currently legal, full-on, everything goes gambling is about to be legal but we still outlaw prostitution (even with mutual consent between two adults) and some other medicat...sorry I mean drugs.

Are we a society of morals or not? I can't figure that out.

Posted by: Patrick at October 23, 2012 8:28 AM

All casinos are proof positive for the old adage

~ "A fool is easily parted from his money"


They won't get one penny of my hard earned cash
Posted by S at October 22, 2012 4:54 PM

I have to laugh. I just came back from LV from a weeks visit and I had an advantage to the house in EVERY bet I made-and came home a winner. It's called full pay deuces wild which the skeptical can google if they doubt me.
"A fool and his adage are not so easily parted"

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at October 23, 2012 1:43 PM

All casinos are proof positive for the old adage

~ "A fool, is easily parted from his money"

They won't get one penny of my hard earned cash
.................................
My name did not print

on my above comment?

Posted by: Sammy in Arizona at October 23, 2012 3:18 PM

My name did not print

on my above comment?
Posted by Sammy in Arizona at October 23, 2012 3:18 PM

That's okay Sammy. We know an ignorant, ill informed mathematically illiterate loser troll when we see one.

"A fool and his adage are not so easily parted"

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