Slot Machines Compared With Crack But Proponent Of Tribal Casino Initiative Disputes Warnings Of Gambling Addiction

Slot machines at Indian casinos in Washington state would be as addictive to compulsive gamblers as crack cocaine, legislative opponents of Initiative 671 said Wednesday.

They also said the measure on the Nov. 5 ballot would threaten restaurants, bowling alleys, taverns and other businesses, and could lead to the spread of electronic gambling throughout the state.

Those contentions were disputed by a leader of the campaign for the initiative, which would legalize slot machines and video poker at tribal casinos. If the measure is approved, “The Legislature is going to be under tremendous pressure to expand slot machines and video poker to taverns, horse tracks and other venues,” said Sen. Dwight Pelz, D-Seattle, chairman of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Trade Committee.

“Cities and counties would lose funding from taxpaying businesses that go broke trying to compete with casinos that pay no state or local taxes,” he said.

“I don’t think the people of Washington state want this kind of sleazy, addictive gambling added to the unfortunate many that we’ve accumulated.”

Until 1972, state law banned almost all games of chance except charity bingo. Since then, punchboards, pulltabs and low-stakes cardrooms have been legalized. Under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, tribes have negotiated with the state to operate casinos featuring blackjack, roulette, poker and craps.

The state now has 250,000 problem gamblers, said Sen. Mike Heavey, D-Seattle, vice chairman of Pelz’s committee.

“Slot machines are the crack cocaine of gambling addiction,” Heavey asserted. “In Nevada, slot machines account for 70 percent of casinos’ revenue.”

Dave Storkson, who owns bowling alleys and restaurants in Seattle and Anacortes, said he had to close a cardroom in Anacortes after the nearby Swinomish and Upper Skagit tribes opened casinos offering table games.

“We’re on the front lines,” Storkson said. “Those are the discretionary dollars that are being spent in these places.”

Heavey and Senate Minority Leader Dan McDonald, R-Bellevue, said it would be better to return to tighter limits on gambling than to loosen the reins.

“I don’t think the social costs of this are considered to anywhere near the extent that they should be,” McDonald said.

Doreen Maloney, general manager of the Upper Skagit tribe and spokeswoman for Tribes for Responsible Gaming, said slots would cut the number of people going elsewhere to gamble and might bring some into the state.

“You’ve got to look at how you retain it here or bring it in,” Maloney said. “A substantial amount of people go (to Nevada) for electronic gaming.”

She also said pit bosses and casino supervisors are trained to watch for compulsive gamblers and suggest they get help, “the same way as when you’re dealing with someone whom you see who abuses alcohol.”

Maloney challenged the claim that electronic gaming devices are more addictive than horse racing, bingo, punchboards, pulltabs or other legal forms of off-reservation gambling.

“I would love to see the analysis or some sort of independent study that bears that out,” she said.

“We’ll look for a study and try to get it to you,” Pelz said.

Initiative 671, supported by 19 tribes in the state, would allow 295 Indian electronic gambling machines per tribe for the first year and 495 after that.

The machines would be limited to tribes that negotiate gaming compacts with the state.