On May 29th, 2009, Governor M. Jodi Rell's plan to allow electronic keno games has resulted in an immediate call to step back and review, according to a release from the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. The council states that the proposal is the product of desperate thinking and will likely create more problem than a solution.
The release further states the following important points to support its criticism to any keno proposal: A study made by the federal government suggested a moratorium on these examples of gaming until their safety can be determine. Allowing keno in the state of Connecticut without doing any study into its potential to be addictive, without any hearing within legislative committees and without a hearing including a testimony from an expert witness is not a responsible for the Connecticut legislature and Governor Rell to take.
There is also evidence from other states in the US when the game of keno gets a place in the state lottery, other electronic games soon follow. The state of Massachusetts expanded keno to feature the daily race game. It is also very unrealistic during a financial crisis, where jobs and salaries are being reduced or totally lost to expect individuals to spend their hard earned money on gaming. There is also little discretionary money that families will be able to spend on gaming after they have paid necessities.
Most gaming addicts are found in the group of recreational gamers. This results in worsening a problem for those already coping up from this disorder. Casinos in Connecticut already offer keno. Legalizing keno and managing it through the state lottery might create some problems with Connecticut's compact with the Mohegan tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot tribe.
The release further states that this is not the good time to expand gaming because it makes a mockery of the $700,000 state-sponsored study that examined the effects of legalized gaming on the residents of Connecticut. It is irresponsible of state officials to push for gaming expansion before the final results of the study are released.
[30-06]
John Sullivan
