Ernest Stebbins: Tribal gaming revenues stay in Washington

Friday, December 9, 2011  

"For-profit gambling expansion proponents promising hundreds of millions in new state revenue are relying on studies by their own gaming-market “experts.”

Legislators should rely on the more sobering projections by the state Office of Financial Management, which concludes net revenue to the state would be only $630,000 in the first year of private slot-machine operation, not the $150 million a year projected by gambling-expansion proponents. It would take at least four full years to reach that level. And the amount of legalized gambling would have to grow dramatically to achieve that much revenue."

Get the Story:
Ernest J. Stebbins: Expanding Washington gambling to nontribal casinos (The Seattle Times 12/9)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Washington tribes won't share their gaming revenue (12/7)
Republicans in Washington aiming for more non-Indian gaming (12/6)
Editorial: Washington tribes should share their casino revenues (12/5)
Ron Allen: Tribal gaming revenues go to government programs (12/2)