Slots Battle Royale

October 15th, 2008 by Kenneth Burns

Both sides of the slots debate have been hammering the crap out of each other, for a lack of a better phrase.

First to a University of Maryland Baltimore County study which says that slots will creat a new source of revenue at a cost.  Among the costs are a decline in lottery sales and sales taxes in addition to “significant social costs,” particularly from increased debt and costs of addiction treatment.  The study was paid for by StopPredatoryCambling.org which had no editorial role, nor did the Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research at UMBC take a position on the issue because of them being a unit of a public research University.  It should also be noted that the the schools Department of Public Policy Chairman Donald Norris drew the line in sand saying that the unit would not partake of “advocacy” research.

Those results did not stop Marylanders United to Stop Slots from ringing a victory bell.  The groups senior advisor, Scott Arceneaux, is already spinning away saying “The findings in this report should give all Marylanders pause, and it sheds much needed light onto this debate.”  He goes also calls the estimated revenue figures from the Department of Legislative Services, “fantasy.”

“Marylanders United…” has also released a new radio ad in the Baltimore market highlighting the number of groups endorsing them, including the NAACP, League of Women Voters, the I.M.A. of Baltimore and Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development a/k/a BUILD.  The only problem is the BUILD did not take a position on slots in either direction and that has lead organizer Rob English hopping mad.  As quoted in The Baltimore Sun, “How dare they assume what an individual organization’s position is?”

Arceneaux says our bad, stating that the group mistakenly assumed BUILD was on board because someone affiliated with the group, Bishop Douglas I. Miles, appeared at an anti-slots rally.  They apologized to Miles.  Look for a retraction and a correction to the ad in the near future.

Slots supporters not to be out done.  The Sun reporting that big money is involved with this one to the tune of $3.8 million.  This includes $2 million from Magna Entertainment, owners of the Maryland Jocky Club, and Baltimore native James Robinson of Morgan Creek Productions fame, who donated $75,000.