As the Feb. 17 Wisconsin primary draws near, controversy continues to surround a proposed casino in Madison. Adding to the debate, some experts say having a gambling facility so close to the University of Wisconsin campus could cause problems among students.
“When you have a gambling facility so close to a student base, you have to expect to see some major crime increases,” said Professor John Kindt from the University of Illinois, an expert on the connection between casinos and crime. “This would be the first campus in the country to have a casino located this close to a university, and you will see a lot of students gambling away tuition money.”
Kindt came to Madison Monday to share his statistical work on how gambling and crime are interrelated. He joined Milwaukee head District Attorney Michael McCann and Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard at a press conference at the Madison Senior Center as the three joined forces with No Dane Casino, a grassroots group trying to stop the casino referendum from passing.
McCann said Milwaukee has seen an increase in crime since the Milwaukee casino first opened. The biggest increase involved embezzlement issues.
“I belong to Gesu parish in Milwaukee, and one of our parishioners has been arrested for taking $500,000 of the church’s money,” McCann said. “The money went to the Potowatomi. She also won $160,000 at the casino. That’s gone too.”
Blanchard said compulsive gambling will result in more embezzlement cases, and citizens will end up being affected through insurance claims and social problems.
A Harvard study showed that compulsive gambling rates are growing fastest among young people, almost double the rate of those of an older generation.
“The video-gambling machines is what gets these kids because they were raised on Nintendo,” Kindt said. “It pulls them in and gets them hooked.”
David Relles, spokesman for No Dane Casino, said he fears the problems the community will face if the casino is passed.
“We are predicting an added 25,000 problem gamblers and 3,500 compulsive gamblers will be made by this deal,” Relles said.
However, Steven Singh, co-coordinator of the Students Coalition for the Fair Indian Gaming and Revenue and Sharing Agreements, said problem gamblers account for less than 1 percent of the gambling population. He also said students are mature enough to make responsible choices when it comes to gambling.
“I think students are smart enough as individuals to make their own decisions,” Singh said. “They can responsibly engage in gaming as a form of entertainment.”
Singh said his organization supports the proposed casino because of research showing the casino will benefit Dane County economically by creating more than 700 new jobs.
Lisa Pugh, spokeswoman for the Coalition for the Fair Indian Gaming and Revenue and Sharing Agreements, said in a previous interview with The Badger Herald that along with bringing in many new jobs, the Ho-Chunk Nation would pay the city and county a total of $91 million over the next 13 years if the casino vote passes.
A study conducted by former UW administrator David Ward also concluded that the community would gain financially from the casino.
“This casino will definitely benefit the community,” Singh said.
However, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz is voting no to the casino, voicing his opinion that the casino could detract from area theaters and restaurants.
“Because the major revenue for casinos is gambling, they are able to sell theater tickets at dirt cheap,” Melanie Conklin, assistant to the mayor, said. “The mayor is concerned at what a casino will do to Madison’s residents and business owners.”