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Don't lift gambling limits

Colorado doesn't need infusion of gaming dollars

The Rocky

Published December 27, 2007 at 12:05 a.m.

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One reason Colorado has avoided many of the recent bare-knuckle battles over tribal casinos may be this state's, shall we say, modest betting limits.

In 1990, when Coloradans allowed casinos to open in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, voters imposed a $5 ceiling on bets. Put it in the constitution. The state's comparatively austere Indian casinos in Towaoc and Ignacio have also abided by the $5 limit. No high-rollers need apply.

Because states near Colorado with no-limit gambling have drawn bettors with deeper pockets, they've also attracted major investments in resort-like properties that rival the most lavish on the Las Vegas Strip.

Case in point: the $80 million Sandia Resort and Casino near Albuquerque, which has a 70,000 square-foot gaming floor, a 4,000 seat amphitheater and an 18-hole championship golf course.

State-of-the-art resorts may be attractive, but emulating Sin City is not in Colorado's best interests. That's one big reason we oppose a ballot initiative now being floated by Rep. Al White, R-Winter Park, that would allow casinos to offer no-limit betting and ditch the requirement that they close between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.

White argues that casinos are underperforming, and state coffers are suffering as a result. Casinos pay only $100 million in taxes a year, a total that is flatlining but could easily double, he thinks, with unlimited betting.

No-limit betting may indeed jump-start the mountain casinos and generate more state tax revenues. But we've never been fans of legalized gambling in Colorado. We opposed Amendment 4, the 1990 measure that allowed low-stakes casino operations in the struggling mountain towns - and every attempt to expand legal gaming since then.

Our argument remains the same: Gambling is not simply another form of entertainment. And it is anything but harmless in its big-time commercial guise. Its lure of easy money sucks in some people who can't even afford their car payments, let alone a gambling addiction. Its promise of a major payday with little investment undermines the notions of thrift and hard work. Other states may be enticed by the prospect of quick cash from gambling taxes, but Colorado doesn't have to play that game.

Practically speaking, an initiative that abolished betting limits would not only apply to mountain casinos but to Indian gaming facilities as well. This rebuts the contention that no-limit betting would be no big deal because growth restrictions in the three mountain towns would discourage major investments in Colorado casinos.

Indian casinos would face no such constraints. A 1987 Supreme Court decision said that any state with legal commercial gambling cannot bar tribes from offering the same games on their property.

If voters approved no-limit betting and 2 4/7 casino operations in the mountain towns, tribes would almost certainly follow suit. (The Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio is already open round-the-clock.) The tiny Indian casinos could soon attract big bucks for new facilities, with all the traffic, crime and other social concerns that tend to gravitate to massive gambling resorts.

We'll concede that inflation has eroded the value of the betting limit. But if the $5 limit from 1990 had kept pace with rising prices, today it would be . . . $8.04. So we'll give the mountain towns the benefit of the doubt. Ask voters to hike the limit to, say, $10 - with an inflation index that would let it rise every three to five years.

Any efforts to scrap betting limits entirely, however, would deal Coloradans a losing hand.

Comments

  • December 27, 2007

    3:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SteveM writes:

    Whether or not I agree with the raising of the limit proposal or not, I do not agree with the points of argument as developed by The Rocky.

    (a) Keeping the limit to keep casinos belonging to indigenous people from ever creating worth is a highly inflammatory point given the history of their treatment on this continent since it was invaded and overtaken by European settlers. It is hard to comprehend how this point could have been utilized by intelligent writers who comprehend bias and prejudice. If the peoples of the indigenous tribes located within the state's boundaries could land huge deals to better the lives of their people, then so be it. They should be allowed to do so.

    (b) To suggest that raising the limits or the times would have unreasonable effects on potential gambling addicts, also, is a moot, too-little-too-late point. Where is the Rocky on preventing alcoholism, nicotine addiction, etc. Not that three wrongs make a right, it's just that to suggest that people in two of three of the industries deserve carte blanche, but not the third, it outlandish.

    (c) The origin of these limiits were what? Were they place do help a neo-conservative pallate accept the notion of limited stakes gaming in Colorado? It's all fine and good to preach, while, not placing any limits on the number of lottery tickets a person can buy in one day in the state. Whatever!

    The state of Colorado is in need of leadership in the state house that might look to ways to ensure the greatest levels of economic security and stability for the state's residents. Something it seems incapable of accomplishing. We have only just learned that our neighboring states of New Mexico and Wyoming have set up gigantic trust funds using royalty payments from oil and gast companies, while we have squandered our smaller fees away. Meanwhile, Nevada has some of the lowest taxes on residents in the nation due to the amounts of money taken in from tourism and gambling . Much work needs to be done in the area of logical research in these offices to explain why we have to keep raising taxes to pay for things, while simultanously ignoring other revenue sources. With another $100 million a year in tax money, perhaps we could begin to do like Wyoming and pay for every child in the state to go to college too.

  • December 27, 2007

    7:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Spencer writes:

    The Sandia Resort is a very nice place. Nice golf course too. I think the indian casinos are somehow an ironic payback.

  • December 27, 2007

    9 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Tree_Hugger writes:

    If Colorado is concerned about gambling addicts, the state should place a limit on the amount of money one can spend in the casino -- not on the amount that one can wager on a single bet.

    In Kansas City casinos, they issue you a punch card that you have to use at the cashier's cage each time you get more chips. Bascially, they limit you to $500 an hour. If you play the $5 slots in Blackhawk, you can easily exceed that amount within 30 minutes.

    Furthermore, limiting wagers to $5 is a real handicap to gamblers who know how to bet properly and have the self-discipline to set their own limits.

  • December 27, 2007

    9:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Brain writes:

    I think the limits should go away; the Indian casinos will benefit greatly; the benefits vs. costs far outways the cost; it is up to each individual to be reponsible with their money not the big brother government. Las Vegas is 34th in murder rate for 2006 and in all crime rates are not even close to the worst city in the U.S. Detroit has the highest murder rate; do they have gambling? I don't think the premise that gambling brings crime holds-up.

  • December 27, 2007

    10:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Eagle5 writes:

    It is time Colorado voters to again visit all aspects of gambling in our state, including casinos and lotto/lottery.

    I agree that the limit should be adjusted along the lines of inflation indexing. $10 sounds good for now and raised accordingly every five years. This limit should also be applied to Lotto/Lottery scratch tickets as well since this is also gambling.

    Casino operation hours should either be set by the owners or should be changed to closure at midnight and reopening at 7:00 or 7:30 A.M.

    Colorado tourism should also advertise casinos, but should also stress the beauty of the ride, either by car or bus, to our mountain towns; i. e., the city of Golden, Golden State Park, railroad museum, School of Mines, Clear Creek, wildlife - the Bighorn/deer types, restaurants, and shops, etc. I know they are in the "book", but their closeness to casinos is not all that clear.

    Colorado voters should have their voice, too, concerning smoking in casinos and not have to take the stuffing down the throat by our government.

  • December 27, 2007

    10:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    me2 writes:

    Now this is nanny government. And you are right about the 5 dollar slots. They can eat up a lot of money in a hurry.

  • December 27, 2007

    10:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    T1anda writes:

    I definately think the casinos should stay open 24/7. It is dangerous to have all the traffic coming down when the casinos are closed at 2:00 A.M. Alot of cars,trucks,busses,etc, are on the road and trying to navigate through those 120 curves from Blackhawk to Golden.

    I don't care about the $5.00 limits. Just use common sense and keep the casinos open and people can leave when they want to and at different times.

  • December 27, 2007

    11:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Diff writes:

    I am not sure about raising the limits, it seems to make sense when you factor in that $5 in 1990 is about $8 now, seems the casinos are making plenty from the $5 limit however. I do know you can go through $4 or 500 in a hurry if you want or are not careful! I don't think an increase is really nessasary! That said I would not be opposed to it going to $10, but I think that should be a hard limit for at least the next ten years.
    What I would like to see is more variety, and more table games than just Black-Jack, I do not really like just slots that much and as a result I do not go "to the Hill" more than once or twice a year.
    I would be opposed to an expansion of gaming areas or districts, and 24 housr casinos. I think what was have is enough.

  • December 27, 2007

    11:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TerryS writes:

    Brain, YES Detroit does have casino gambling, however they led in the murder rate well before the casinos opened.

  • December 27, 2007

    4:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jmfslots writes:

    "If voters approved no-limit betting and 2 4/7 casino operations in the mountain towns, tribes would almost certainly follow suit. (The Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio is already open round-the-clock.) The tiny Indian casinos could soon attract big bucks for new facilities, with all the traffic, crime and other social concerns that tend to gravitate to massive gambling resorts."

    This is the same argument that opponents offered when gaming was first approved. And yet- we have not seen any increase in crime or negative social concerns.
    In order to compete with other States- We Must increase the betting limit and hours of operation. Also, new games such as Craps and Roulette should be allowed.
    Colorado should wake up and realize that gaming is good for Colorado. If some idiot wants to spend too much money, money they cannot afford to spend, they can do that with the current $5. limit. People need to be responsible for themselves and we don't need politicians taking away our individual freedom of choice, like they did with the smoking ban.
    Gaming helps Colorado in more ways than just the taxes generated in the casinos. Tourism and being a destination get a big lift too. This equates to a lot of money.

  • December 27, 2007

    9:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    Gaming isn't good for any state. It's easy money, little investment required, and just enough economic spillover gets spread around to make everyone feel like it's good. But as an employment source, gaming provides primarily part-time, low-paying jobs with little or no benefits. The only people getting rich are the casino owners.

  • December 27, 2007

    11:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    webviking0579 writes:

    I personally don't care on way or the other about gaming in the mountain towns or Indian casinos. I wouldn't care if licensed casinos were legal everywhere in the State as long as reasonable licensing, zoning and payout rules were enforced. Where I draw the line is making the State the house, as it is when it comes to the Colorado Lottery. The State should not be in the business of gaming. Period. State run lotteries have by far the worst payout percentages of any legalized form of gaming in this country and are an outright abomination. Everything negative thing that can be said about casino gambling can be said about the Colorado Lottery. It's addictive, it preys on the people that can least afford it, and on top of that, unlike the casinos, it's everywhere. The State of Colorado needs to get out of the gaming business and discontinue the Colorado Lottery.

  • December 28, 2007

    11:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    me2 writes:

    There was a story on the tv about a year ago that showed Nevada casino workers, maids, dishwashers, etc, buying homes in the valley. Those people make a good living, they have unions there to protect restaurant and hotel workers.

    Colorado`s casino laws are like the Sunday closing laws, blue laws and the nanny state at its worst.

    Open the casinos to the real world and try telling the workers there that their jobs are not just fine. Put in unions, and bring Colorado casinos into this century and the jobs would improve over night.

  • December 30, 2007

    7:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    Michigan is a big-time union state (think Big 3), but the casinos there don't have unions.