Casino news source: Free Mexican - http://www.freenewmexican.com/
Tribes' Casino money set aside for gambling addictions is adequate
By THE NEW MEXICAN
February 18, 2007
SANTA FE (AP) - New Mexico tribal casinos are setting aside enough money to battle compulsive gambling, the head of a tribal responsible-gaming association told state legislators.
A current compact with the state requires tribes to set aside one-quarter of 1 percent of their slot take for compulsive gambling treatment, education and prevention.
The rate is sufficient, said Jeff Jojola, Isleta Casino's responsible gaming coordinator and president of the tribal Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico.
Gov. Bill Richardson and 11 of New Mexico's 13 gaming tribes have reached a proposed deal that would extend the state-tribal compacts until 2045 and increase the amount of slot revenue sharing the tribes pay the state. The current compacts expire in 2015.
The percentage of money set aside to prevent and treat gambling addictions would not change under the proposed deal, but it would require tribes to disclose how they spend that money.
Tribes currently don't have to reveal those specifics, and some critics have maintained that some of the money has been used for promotional items such as T-shirts and water bottles that carry a logo addressing problem gaming.
The critics said more of the tribes' slot-machine money needs to go to help addicts and urged the House-Senate compact committee that met Saturday to consider holding off on the 30-year compact extension.
Jojola said the current system raised about $1.7 million for compulsive gambling programs in 2006 _ money that paid for treatment, helped fund a crisis hot line and trained casino workers and therapists on gambling addiction.
"The system is free, and it works, and it works well," said Daniel Blackwood, who operates a therapy practice in Albuquerque that handles problem gamblers.
Former state Attorney General Paul Bardacke, who along with Richardson chief counsel Hilary Tompkins negotiated with the tribes, said requiring the tribes to disclose how they spend their compulsive gambling money will result in more of it going for treatment.
"It 'sunshines' that provision," Bardacke said.
The compact committee is scheduled to meet Feb. 23, at which time it can either vote to send the proposed new compacts to the full House and Senate or recommend changes for the governor's office and the tribes to consider. |
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