Georgia’s GOP committee against casinos
Republicans in the state passed by a wide margin a resolution that is against casinos and horse racing in Georgia.
US.- Georgia GOP state committee passed a resolution this weekend that opposes gambling in casinos and horse racing in Georgia. Local legislators have been trying to legalise the industry for quite some time now, with several pushes at the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017, but the Republicans are set to deny the gambling options.
A resolution from the political party said that concerns around gambling include an increase in crime and divorce rates, as well as they believe that the legalization could allow “any Indian tribe to venue shop property to open casinos” around the state, ajc.com cited. “The state should not have a vested interest in predatory activities such as gambling for the sake of filling state coffers at the expense of ruined lives and broken families,” the GOP committee said.
On the other hand, sponsor of the legislation to reclassify fantasy sports so it doesn’t violate anti=gambling restrictions, Trey Kelley, said he was grateful that activists dismissed the petition to include online games in the resolution. “The Georgia GOP faithful made a conscious decision to remove fantasy sports from this resolution. Their action is in line with my repeated statements and the beliefs of mainstream Georgians that fantasy sports is a game of skill and a completely different issue from casino gambling,” he said.
Whilst supporters claim that the casino industry would generate revenue for the HOPE scholarship, Republicans believe that the risks are higher than the benefits: “All tax payers, including non-gamblers, end up paying higher taxes for these publicly borne social costs.”
“The proposed establishment of the gambling industry in Georgia violates free- market principles by instituting a politically protected industry that will drain customers from legitimate businesses not similarly protected. Once the gambling industry is allowed to operate legally in the state, its lobbying power will grow and increase its influence over legislators and local community officials,” says the report.
“We, the delegates of Georgia Republican Convention, urge the members of the Georgia Legislature to cease and desist with any efforts to open the State of Georgia to casino and horse racing,” concluded the GOP.
