If an Indian tribe, worked through all the bureaucratic process while using Bureau of Indian Affairs and could build a casino in downtown Enid, would you be for or against it? If you live in Enid and occasionally visit other casinos around the state, it is likely you run into other folks you know from Enid, partaking in the recreation furnished by the casinos. These are the same some people that have left our town and therefore are spending their recreation dollars elsewhere. They are shopping in the stores, eating at the restaurants, and staying with the hotels inside area.
A brief history:
The power to run bingo games was among the many concessions built to tribes in Oklahoma. Then some very ingenious person made a bingo game that appeared to be a slot machine game. We have all seen small digital bingo card at the top corner of the display screen of the slot machine. From that invention forward, Oklahoma casinos did start to spring up everywhere. After all, you're still playing bingo, just in a very new and technical way. Later, a gaming compact relating to the tribes as well as the State of Oklahoma allowed using Vegas style slots, poker, and blackjack. Thus, bigger and better casinos were built and so are still being built throughout Oklahoma.
A casino could only be built within historic tribal boundaries and after that placed in a very trust with all the U.S. government. Since Enid has no casino, would be that the reason? Then upon researching Garfield County, Oklahoma via Wikipedia, it was found, that ahead of the Land Run of 1893, Garfield County was named O County and was part with the Cherokee Outlet, occupied with the Cherokee people following Treaty of New Echota and also the Cherokee trail of tears. Historically, the location was a hunting ground with the Wichita, Osage, and Kiowa tribes. Does that qualify us as being within historic tribal boundaries?
Positive facets of a casino in Enid:
1. The revenues generated from casinos are taken up operate tribal governments and programs for its citizens. In addition, a portion with the revenue is split using the State of Oklahoma.
2. Tribes utilize the revenues to further improve infrastructure.
3. Related tourist attractions are built.
4. Jobs are made.
5. The added income and influx of tourists increase retail trade.
6. Promotes tribal economic development.
7. The casinos donate to local charities.
8. A survey of casino patrons discovered that over 80 percent of the visitors to casinos were interested in also doing something apart from gambling. So the casino becomes an anchor for other website tourism attractions such as family water parks.
9. The casinos create new lines of cooperative economic development between American Indians and non-Indian entrepreneurs.
10. Casinos provide a magnet for outside money that did not previously exist.
11. Local resident who utilized to travel outside with the area now stays within the spot.
12. More construction jobs are set up building casinos.
13. Gambling is definitely an accepted way for governments to increase funds. It is seen as an source of money that is certainly easier to obtain because it's not a tax on individuals.
14. In several communities the next businesses showed an boost in profits, attendance, and customers after a casino came to their area:
a. Retail stores
b. Golf
c. Local arts and crafts shows
d. Hunting and fishing activities
e. Horse trail rides
f. Festivals and events had higher attendance
g. Movie theaters
h. Historical sites were visited often
i. Scenic drives
j. Walking trails
k. Water parks
l. Biking trails
m. Roller skating
n. Fitness centers
Negative areas of a casino in Enid
1. Tourism dollars hinge on how well the casino pays out. Winners may spend freely, but losers may return purchases and cut their hotel stays short.
2. For some gambling becomes a dependancy.
3. Gambling kills time, and subtracts from time invested in useful endeavors.
4. Locally-owned businesses go bankrupt because consumers have changed their expenditures to casinos.
5. Wealthy Indian gaming tribes pour huge amounts of money into political campaigns at both state and federal levels. (Source: Special Investigation by Donald L. Barlett and James B,. Steele, Time Magazine, December 2002.)
6. Wealthy Indian gaming tribes can also be influencing gambling along with other policies affecting Native Americans by handing quite a bit to influential lobbying firms. (Source: Special Investigation by Donald L. Barlett and James B, Steele, Time Magazine, December 2002.)
7. In towns with casino's, there can be an increase in the following:
a. Crime
b. Suicide
c. Addiction
d. Bankruptcy
e. Domestic violence
f. Drug and alcohol addiction
g. Divorce
h. Embezzlement
What is Gambling Addiction?
Gambling addiction is known as an action addiction. When gambling, the endocrine system, adrenaline and endorphins, are self-produced. As the person gambles often, it results in tolerance to the adrenaline and endorphins, so that it takes more gambling and stakes, to get the equal high. Recent studies show that slot machine game gambling lights up the human brain the same way that cocaine does. (Source: Stop the Casino 101 Coalition)
If an online casino were to petition arrive at downtown Enid, what can be your opinion? Do you think it could enhance our community or bring social problems organic beef not want to manage?