Feb 26th, 2010
Indianapolis Adult Entertainment: Hawaii lawmakers kill gambling proposals
The bill deferred Wednesday would have created a five-member gambling commission authorized to issue one five-year casino license on Oahu. A wagering tax on the casino would have brought money into the state’s general fund.
A lobbyist pushing gambling, John Radcliffe, presented a study to lawmakers showing the casino would generate $469 million in gaming revenue and create as many as 14,065 jobs, including 3,660 at the casino itself.
He said the state is losing millions of dollars each year when residents spend their money on illegal gambling or lose it in Las Vegas.
“One of our biggest exports is money out of our state,” he said.
Law enforcement, business leaders, social service providers and religious groups told lawmakers they didn’t want to deal with the potential social ills associated with gambling, such as increased drug and prostitution activity.
See the full article from “BusinessWeek”