“You have all of the folks on the business and commercial side that are going to want to push it down. And then you have the folks in government who are going to want to push it up.”
—Bill Pascrell III, gaming industry lobbyist, on the perils of a high sports betting tax in New York state
“Where else as a legislator do we kill the golden goose immediately? … If you tax the heck out of it, it will die.”
—Brandt Iden, head of government affairs, Sportradar US, calling the gaming tax rates in New York and New Hampshire “astronomical”
“With the increase of cases and hospitalizations, we must put in place new measures. We are 8 million people in Quebec, and we are at war. It is war right now against the virus.”
—Christian Dube, Quebec health minister, on new Covid-19 restrictions requiring bars, gyms and casinos to close
“Operators are either not making suitable resources available or are simply putting commercial objectives ahead of regulatory ones. This is simply unacceptable.”
—Andrew Rhodes, CEO, U.K. Gambling Commission, on the failure of gaming operators when it comes to gambling harms
“There’s a saying among the Lumbee: ‘Root, little pig, or die.’ That’s what we’ve done.”
—James Locklear, Lumbee tribal member, on the North Carolina Indians’ ongoing fight for federal recognition. Recognition would enable the Lumbee to launch a gaming enterprise
