For information on what you can do to help stop expanded gambling, call 410-766-5562 or 410-943-3553, or go to Contact Us to send an email.

NOcasiNO Maryland
P.O. Box 26
Glen Burnie, MD 21060-0026

Maryland legislators voted 86-52 in a Nov. 2007 special session to put a slots referendum that would change the state's Constitution on the Nov. 2008 ballot. The Constitution would be amended to add 15,000 slot machines at five locations: Anne Arundel, Cecil, and Worcester Counties, City of Baltimore, and on state property at Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort near Cumberland. Two of the sites are racetracks--Laurel Park in Anne Arundel and Ocean Downs in Worcester. Legislative analysts predict that $650 million a year would be generated for the state. Results of the referendum were 1,444,340 for the amendment and 1,018,047 against. Approval is still needed in the 2009 legislative session.
     
Urgent Message to Maryland Voters PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Wednesday, 23 February 2005 00:00

URGENT MESSAGE TO MARYLAND VOTERSFROM NOcasiNO MARYLAND On Election Day, November 4, 2008, Maryland voters will make an important decision, by referendum, on whether or not to legalize slots. Allowing 15,000 slot machines in 5 locations across the state will create gambling revenue but with a tremendous social cost to taxpayers. The negative social and economic impact would be extraordinary.

Studies have shown that crime increases within a 35 mile feeder market of a slots casino, and increased costs for law enforcement, adjudication, incarceration, and compulsive gambling funding are inevitable.

Addiction rates double within a 50 mile radius of a casino. Addiction treatment specialists consider slot machine gambling as the “crack cocaine” of gambling – the most addictive form of gambling.

Legalizing slots to generate $600 million in revenue to fund an Educational Trust Fund or anything else for that matter would be fiscally irresponsible, bad public policy, and bad economic strategy. The costs would definitely outweigh the benefits. In order to generate the projected $600 million, $1.4 billion would need to be lost in the 15,000 slots by nearly 1 million gamblers losing an average of $1000 a year. This would not be new state income but rather redirected spending - money not going into other areas of the economy. Also, according to non-industry funded academic studies, the costs to Maryland taxpayers will be $1.90 to $3.00 and potentially more for each revenue dollar generated by the slots.

The gambling industry is a predatory and cannibalistic economic enterprise that steals money from locally owned restaurants and businesses as well as families. Maryland cannot afford this slippery economic slope nor should it be subjected to the false promises of the slots proponents. We must protect our families and our State from this potential social and economic devastation.

The gambling industry cannot deliver on its promises to the State and it cannot hide the bodies of its victims and those who would eventually sink further into poverty. With slot machines, the only way for Maryland to win is for Marylanders to lose. Let’s keep Maryland, the Free State, “SLOTS FREE” by defeating slots at the ballot box on November 4. VOTE NO SLOTS FOR MARYLAND.

Barbara Knickelbein, Co-chair

NOcasiNO Maryland

410-766-5562

Email Barbara from the Contact Us page.

website: nocasinomaryland.org

 
Last Updated ( Monday, 25 August 2008 00:52 )
 

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