“Increasing indoor dining capacity to at least 50 percent is critical to the survival of our hospitality industry and residents during the fall/winter seasons. Atlantic City has had an unemployment rate of over 40 percent, Atlantic County, the highest unemployment rate of any county in the state. The virus and government restrictions have slammed our hospitality industry.”
—Jesse Kurtz, Atlantic City councilman, asking New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to ease restrictions on dining imposed on the city’s restaurants
“Obviously, smoking is not a healthy thing. I think all nonsmokers love to have a nonsmoking environment, but I understand that (smoking) comes with the business.”
—Steve Callender, president, Casino Association of New Jersey, who says smoking—now banned at Atlantic City casinos—may return
“My heart goes out. Bristol, Virginia has an economic problem. I believe the promoters probably have good intentions. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s going to hurt people.”
—Bill Haywood, Bristol, Virginia minister who is campaigning against a casino in the community. The project will be on the November ballot
“Our callers often tell us they started gambling very young. Teens see wealthy poker stars on TV, advertising telling them this is an easy way to get rich, or a gamer winning millions. Many people are naïve about the odds. It doesn’t end that way for most people.”
—Jennifer Davis-Walton, director, Gambling Addiction Services of West Virginia, which is marking 20 years of service to problem gamblers in the state
“We would love to have fans there, but it will still be a great experience just to get in there under the lights on the big stage and have a Monday Night game. It’s the greatest stadium in the NFL.”
—Maurice Hurst, Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle, on the opening of the new $2 billion Allegiant Stadium, sans fans
“Not all things can be blamed on Covid-19, and I think this is one of those cases.”
—Michael Naft, Clark County Commission, denying a developer’s request for more time to fund an sports-park venture called the Edge on the Las Vegas Strip
“By all means, address the core issue of drinking rather than slamming a blanket curfew on our venues which would do nothing to suppress the spread of the virus but which would simply sound the death knell for jobs and for famous London casinos.”
—UK Betting and Gaming Council, in a statement about a proposed 10 p.m. curfew for businesses in London
“Tribes should adopt policies that are culturally responsive and have the strength to withstand pressure from lobbyists for the tobacco industry. Future generations deserve a standard that cherishes traditional tobacco as sacred while admonishing the health hazards of commercial tobacco.”
—Clinton Isham, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a consultant to the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation
“We don’t necessarily have an issue with casinos. Just have an issue with this particular deal. This particular location and kind of the underhanded way the deal was forced upon us.”
—Jackie Glass, of Informed Norfolk, a group organized to fight a Pamunkey Indian casino in the Virginia community
“Sin may keep a person out of heaven, but it will provide big tax revenues for the state of Colorado. The odds are that this Amendment 77 will be passed by voters.”
—Boulder Daily Camera, in an editorial on a referendum that would allow residents of the three Colorado casino towns to increase betting limits without a state vote
“At least 25 percent of our mobile bet money, about $137 million, is lost to New Jersey alone from our residents. We should have been on this in 2019.”
—Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., New York state senator speaking about the need to approve mobile sports betting in the state
