AL Governor May Have to Rethink Position on Gambling
Alabama is heavy in debates over gambling. It’s no secret that every state is fighting out the legalization and regulation of gambling. On one hand you have those who are pro gambling- they believe that with the proper regulation gambling can bring in millions of tax revenue dollars. In today’s economy, there are few businesses that would turn down the millions available in additional money. On the other hand, there is the anti gambling group of supporters who believe that the ethical cost of having legalized gambling is too much to deal with. They believe that inevitably gambling would bring about too many other problems like crime, money laundering and addictions. Without the proper ways to manage these issues, it would mean sure disaster for communities.
Alabama is a state that has taken on a strong stand against gambling and Governor Robert Riley has been instrumental in the pitch to keep gambling out of the state. He created a task force to specifically handle gambling activities by finding them and then breaking them up. Though he has a supportive team, now it seems that a new argument is coming into the mix. The governor is targeting Victory Land. Victory Land is a gambling location within the state that currently holds the title of the largest employer in the state. That means if it is shut down, it will send thousands of residents to the unemployment line. Considering that the economy is still close to the recession, things have not leveled out as of yet. It may put these people on the brink of financial troubles if they now lose their jobs. Governor Riley is under attack because if he does shut down the location, it will adversely affect a huge portion of the state’s population. In the past few months there have been legal moves by both sides to continue the move on Victory Land. If the location is closed down due to the Task Force, then that could mean the confiscation of over 6,000 gambling machines. That would cut back on the revenue the state brings in and seriously put residents in financial danger.
