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Would N.H. Slots Help or Hurt the Kids?

The battle over expanded gambling in the state of New Hampshire has reached fever pitch, with proponents on both sides of the ideological rift essentially shouting over each other to make their point heard. Friends and foes alike of bringing more slot games into the state are aggressively pushing their respective agendas, with the imminent opening of the General Assembly looming and, all would hope, and answer to the very heated question.

Both sides of the gambling debate are dragging New Hampshire’s most junior citizens into the fray. Senator Lou D’Allensandro, the lawmaker who introduced the expanded gambling bill and has been the driving force behind keeping it alive, insists that the revenues gleaned from installing a large number of slot games at statewide racetracks and casinos could be used in part to fund public education. Like many states, New Hampshire is having trouble footing the bill for its schools, what with the current state of the economy. In past years, it has been estimated that bringing video slot terminals into the state could add as much as four hundred million bucks a year to state coffers.

This argument in favor of the much-ballyhooed gambling devices has slot opponents outraged, more than any other. Foes of increased gambling believe that devices like slot machines constitute a bad influence on the children of the state, and have their hackles up at the concept of money from these terminals helping the kids of the state in any way. Casino revenues would also be funneled into the police department if the bill is passed.

Back to January 2009 Archive.