Jogeephus
Well-known member
Maybe I'm slow so maybe someone can explain to me how this makes sense cause I know DotGov just has our best interest at heart.
Last week, after a very lengthy undercover investigation that took several years, the police raided a local store and busted a major gambling ring where they had video poker machines. (Licensed, pemitted and taxed by both the city and the state and are all owned by a federal gov't employee) They confiscated the machines and about $5000 in cash. It was a daring raid but was accomplished without incident. And as for the brave undercover officers that went in deep cover to gain intel - I haven't the words to express my feelings for them. Their bravery. Their tenacity.
Of course, each and every one of these machines were licensed by the Georgia Department of Revenue so discovering they were in the store wasn't that difficult .... but I digress and I think the Chief of Police puts it in perspective.
I agree with the chief of police and I agree that gambling is bad and it hurts those who cannot afford to be hurt. And their children. Under the current law you can only win mechandise in the store but there is no law preventing you from returning your mechandise and receiving money for the goods so this is a loophole that is easily manipulated.
Two days later, the news says Georgia senate has decided to crack down on these vile games with tougher regulations. Their proposal is to allow the state lottery to handle the video poker games and they will receive 10% of the money generated. Instead of giving tickets, the government will make the machine spit out food vouchers that can be redeemed at the counter. Now I'm not sure what the difference is between a ticket and a voucher but it must be some kind of special cause this will surely solve the concerns of the police chief. Of course you can still return mechandise can't you. Or will they outlaw this as well? Not sure.
Thankfully, Sen. Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, raised moral objections. "I hope we don't justify doing wrong by saying, 'Yeah, it's for the HOPE Scholarship,' " he said, noting the toll on gambling addicts. "The way to help them, frankly, is to take away the convenience of the machines."
Williams' amendment to completely ban the machines passed initially but eventually failed in a close re-vote when Bethel warned that the way it was worded would leave no regulation of the machines. (No regulation would mean no tax dollars generated since they would be outlawed completely and the city and state wouldn't get their clip)
Is it just me or does this almost sound like the mafia?
Last week, after a very lengthy undercover investigation that took several years, the police raided a local store and busted a major gambling ring where they had video poker machines. (Licensed, pemitted and taxed by both the city and the state and are all owned by a federal gov't employee) They confiscated the machines and about $5000 in cash. It was a daring raid but was accomplished without incident. And as for the brave undercover officers that went in deep cover to gain intel - I haven't the words to express my feelings for them. Their bravery. Their tenacity.
Of course, each and every one of these machines were licensed by the Georgia Department of Revenue so discovering they were in the store wasn't that difficult .... but I digress and I think the Chief of Police puts it in perspective.
I agree with the chief of police and I agree that gambling is bad and it hurts those who cannot afford to be hurt. And their children. Under the current law you can only win mechandise in the store but there is no law preventing you from returning your mechandise and receiving money for the goods so this is a loophole that is easily manipulated.
Two days later, the news says Georgia senate has decided to crack down on these vile games with tougher regulations. Their proposal is to allow the state lottery to handle the video poker games and they will receive 10% of the money generated. Instead of giving tickets, the government will make the machine spit out food vouchers that can be redeemed at the counter. Now I'm not sure what the difference is between a ticket and a voucher but it must be some kind of special cause this will surely solve the concerns of the police chief. Of course you can still return mechandise can't you. Or will they outlaw this as well? Not sure.
Thankfully, Sen. Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, raised moral objections. "I hope we don't justify doing wrong by saying, 'Yeah, it's for the HOPE Scholarship,' " he said, noting the toll on gambling addicts. "The way to help them, frankly, is to take away the convenience of the machines."
Williams' amendment to completely ban the machines passed initially but eventually failed in a close re-vote when Bethel warned that the way it was worded would leave no regulation of the machines. (No regulation would mean no tax dollars generated since they would be outlawed completely and the city and state wouldn't get their clip)
Is it just me or does this almost sound like the mafia?
