“The only organization that has a legitimate reason to oppose legalized gambling is the mob. They stand to lose a cut of their business. As long as there are degenerate gamblers, the mob will be around to take their action. The majority of the population, however, will welcome decriminalizing the activity.”
—Marisa Lankester, a former illegal bookmaker and the author of Dangerous Odds: My Secret Life Inside a Billion Illegal Sports Betting Operation, suggesting that there is no reason to continue to criminalize sports betting
“We cannot ban our way out of this problem as this would simply drive online gaming further and further underground and put more and more people at risk. Not only does the black market for internet gaming include no consumer protections, it also operates entirely offshore with unlicensed operators, drastically increasing the threat of identity theft, fraud or other criminal acts.”
—Chuck Cantebury, Fraternal Order of Police National President in a letter to the heads of the House Judiciary Committee opposing a federal online gambling ban
“We think politicians will remain enticed by the possibility that a new casino project can create economic investment, jobs and tax revenues for their local community.”
—Credit Suisse gaming analyst Joel Simkins, commenting in the Las Vegas Review-Journal that there is still a good market for urban casinos like the one about to open in Baltimore
“In essence, that’s what they said: You (players) have to walk in and submit to losing… There’s a whole generation of people (Ben Affleck) represents, and they’re being told ‘We don’t want your play.’”
—Gaming analyst Ken Adams, to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the recent ejection of actor Ben Affleck from the blackjack tables at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas for card-counting is likely to backfire on the casino as the player base becomes younger
“They have plenty of money behind them to back up what they’re saying. I think it would be a sin if we let this opportunity go by, because I think this is a world-class operation that wants to help our community.”
?Colleen Pearce, Harriman, New York, business owner who supports a plan by Caesars Entertainment to build a $750 million casino there
“The whole thing of Foxwoods being at Grossinger’s and us being at the Concord is just very humorous. I always wanted what Mohegan Sun has become to be what Grossinger’s would become. When we sold it, it wasn’t happening. So, I never really envisioned there would be anything happening in the Catskills, but it certainly would be very exciting if my company could have something to do with the Catskills having something positive happen.”
?Mitchell Grossinger Etess, CEO, Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, on his Connecticut rival, Foxwoods, vying for a casino license that would transform Grossinger’s, the Catskills resort once was owned by Etess’ family
“I think Orange County is a game changer. I think for us, if Orange County were to come to fruition, then we would have to re-evaluate our project. So, everything that we’ve done is based on the premise that there would not be a casino in Orange County.”
?Scott Butera, CEO, Foxwoods, on the company’s plan to build a casino at the old Grossinger’s resort in the Catskills
“The practical repercussions of such a vote are mind-boggling, given all the time, money and political capital invested in this process. Like Obamacare, casino gambling might be the current law, but it seems the issue is far from settled.”
—Editorial, Sentinel and Enterprise, commenting on the possible approval of a referendum repealing the 2011 law that authorized three casino resorts and one slots parlor in Massachusetts
“This initiative is the product of substantial tribal consultation and public comment and we are grateful for the broad public interest in this reform effort and the helpful guidance we have received from tribes and the public.”
—Kevin Washburn, assistant secretary for Indian affairs of the Department of the Interior, commenting on new regulations he has proposed that would make it easier for the department to recognize Indian tribes
“Anybody who’s played Texas hold ‘em knows that it’s a game of skill. Those that are good at it consistently win at it.”
—Helo Hancock, spokesman for the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho tribe, which is arguing in federal court that Texas hold ‘em is a game of skill, and therefore can’t be banned by the state
“Entire tribes could avoid going to war by staging an elaborate intertribal competition called the Bone Game instead. This wasn’t some pseudo-serious sports competition with a trophy and T-shirts for a prize; the stakes could be one tribe’s winter wheat supply against another tribe’s entire herd of horses.”
—Don Marks, writing in the Winnipeg Free Press that the history of Indian tribes and gaming goes back as far in history as anyone can determine
