“Bottom line, Oregon is only dabbling in sports wagering. And unless lawmakers see how they’ve hamstrung their own coffers, it’s never going to be the winner it could have been.”
—John Canzano, Oregonian columnist, on why the Oregon Lottery’s sports betting lost money for the state in its first year
“The ability to offer collegiate wagering would speed our progress towards profitability—increasing revenue with very little additional expense. But there doesn’t seem to be much appetite for that in the legislature.”
—Matt Shelby, spokesman, Oregon Lottery, losses incurred during the operates Scoreboard sports betting app’s first fiscal year
“Here we go again, down this path that is extremely counterintuitive to the goals we’re trying to reach for equity and fairness in this state.”
—Maureen Walsh, Washington state senator, who opposes a sports betting bill that would limit sportsbooks to tribal casinos
“Even during SARS we did not see such a large impact. I’ve never seen a situation like this in my life.”
—Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director, Macao Government Tourism Office, on the decline in hotel occupancy and room rates due to the coronavirus
“Keeping these customers when a more convenient option is available will be a matter of either delivering a superior product or greater rewards for loyalty.”
—Rummy Pandit, executive director, Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at New Jersey’s Stockton University, on how the state will offset business losses when New York City gets sportsbooks and mobile betting
“The regulation has to be similar to that of tobacco. We are not regulating the textile sector here, but a sector that has an impact on public health.”
—Alberto Garzón, Spanish minister for consumer affairs, on a plan to slash gambling ads by 80 percent
“Workers in some casinos have faced a visible organized crime presence for at least two decades. All too often, casino management has ignored these issues or even encouraged them.”
—Stephanie Smith, president, B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, testifying at the opening of the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia
“They aren’t protecting Kentuckians from anything. They’re only costing us badly needed revenue. If they truly care about Kentucky families, why not allow us to use some of that revenue for our schools and pensions?”
—Dave Spaulding, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, in an op-ed piece questioning those who oppose sports betting on moral grounds
“There are, of course, many reasons to be concerned about the societal effects of this bill, and in particular, its effects on those who can least afford to be on the losing end of the wagers made under it. It would target the poor and particularly young people.”
—Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst, the Family Foundation, in a column opposing sports betting in Kentucky
“It’s going to be a bit like a car crash. People won’t be able to look away.”
—Roy Wheatley, Global Consulting & Development of Australia, on the upcoming hearings to determine if James Packer’s Crown Resorts is suitable to operate a casino in Sydney
“It’s crazy how they want to rely on, ‘It’s a malfunction.’ It says clearly the amount that she won, but now they’re saying it was a malfunction.”
—Linda Sanchez, daughter of Maribel Sanchez, who says she won $8.5 million at the Newcastle Casino in Oklahoma. The casino contends the machine malfunctioned, and has not paid out the money
“William Hill took the view that football is too crowded with gambling brands, many of whom are not even in the U.K. market. This has prompted public concerns about the association between football and gambling.”
—Source “close to William Hill” on why the sportsbook has ended its nine-year title sponsorship of the Scottish Cup
“Harm minimization is like trying to put a shine on a cow pat when you’ve got a Liberal government policy that will increase the number of poker machines and keep them in communities for the next quarter of a century.”
—Cassy O’Connor, Tasmanian Green Party MP, protesting any increase in gambling in the Australian state
“I don’t think he can spell ‘sovereignty.’”
—John Berrey, chairman, Quapaw Nation, on Oklahoma tribes’ ongoing spat with Governor Kevin Stitt over tribal gaming compacts
“This could lead to mass deportation.”
—Dana Sandoval, Philippines Bureau of Immigration, on China’s plan to cancel the passports of foreign employees of Philippine Offshore Gambling Operations (POGOs)
