Poll: How do you feel about sports betting in DE?
I’ve never been a fan of lotteries and gaming, but it’s time to end the legislature’s crony capitalism.
Why should a small well connected clique be the primary beneficiaries of expanded gaming?
DEFAC just reported that the historic budget shortfall Gov. Jack Markell and legislators will have to solve has grown even more severe and now is above $775 million.
If there’s any one thing that is crystal clear from DEFAC’s dire news,
it is that the General Assembly needs to pass the Governor’s sports
lottery bill when they return to Dover. It is time to start canvasing the GA to see who is in the pocket of the racino lobby.
There is no reason in hell that Dennis McGlynn and Michelle Rollins should enjoy an exclusive monopoly that allows them to hold back gaming revenue. If someone has a reason why the McGlynn and the Rollins family should be able to hold this monopoly, (other than the fact that they own the required number of legislators) I’m all ears.
FYI
That is from an article about how McGlynn’s compensation is UP 16% this year.
These guys don’t simply want more money….they want ALL OF THE MONEY.
When only Nevada had legalized gambling, Nevada made a ton of money. When Atlantic City got into the casino business, AC made a ton of money.
Of course, other states saw that, and wanted a piece of the pie. But, predictably enough, as more and more states got into legalized gambling, the money going into the gambling establishments got more and more diluted, and revenues to the individual states either decreased or never materialized in the amounts predicted. Pennsylvania’s betting parlors and new casinos are hurting business in Atlantic City.
As for me, I really don’t care: if people want to waste their money, well, it’s their money to waste. But it just never seems that legalizing gambling produces the revenue stream predicted.
I’m with Dana in doubting that sports betting is going to bring in a lot of money. I do think we should go ahead and legalize to get what money we can out of it. I think the vote to keep the racino monopoly was an embarrassment and I hope the GA approves the governor’s bill.
So what does Denis McGlynn’s salary have to do with the few shekels the state might get from sports betting?
I was impressed two years ago when then-Treasurer Markell pointed to the fact that the proposal for coal-fired and natural gas generating plants failed to include the financial impact of the lower-quality air that would result (on future health-care, for instance).
Am I alone in worrying that increased legal gambling in the state will lead to increased bankruptcies and increased strains on the social work infrastructure?
If raising revenue was the sole decider, then let’s institute public lethal injection/firing squads/hangings/stonings! Maybe Fox Network will offer to televise this and share the ad revenues.
Do moral arguments fade during recessions?
Do we really want to be the first state in broken homes?
First, go back into your post, Jason, and end-tag your bold font…damn fool! đ
I am fine with table games and sports betting. The sports betting, though, needs to drop that parlay system; otherwise, it gets bogged down and loses much, if not all, attraction.
I actually would like NOT to see more venues popping up, though. I sincerely don’t think more venues equals more money. I think it will simply redistribute what’s already out there. If there is undeniable proof that more venues means more revenue, then I’d be open to reconsider my opinion, but it’d have to be hard evidence, not just theory. I just can’t see the support FOR it at this point.
As far as the state’s share increasing, the racinos need to take a steady diet of STFU. Their collective asses were saved by allowing
slotvideo lottery machines on their property. Honestly, I am a fan of horse racing, but not just for the wagering. I, like others around (I know Al Mascitti and Nancy Willing are among them), really like to watch the horses. I have no clue why, but watching them run is just something I absorb and appreciate. Back to the racino point, theslotvideo lottery DID help their track purses. I know some people debate this, but Delaware Park was a huge benefactor of the added revenue. They were able to reclaim much of their history with attractive meets and much regional turnout, both from top-rank stables and trainers, and bettors. Despite the bull crap posturing, the racinos CAN afford to pony up (pun much intended) more. In my mind, they freaking OWE the state that much.So what does Denis McGlynnâs salary have to do with the few shekels the state might get from sports betting?
The tracks are trying to argue that they are in financial peril. If that is the case how were they able to boost McGlynn’s take home by 16%
Love how you phrased the third answer.
Why put lipstick on a pig?
Why do you hate pigs?
Jason linked to a story about stock car racing, a different and quite healthy industry.
Delaware already has sports betting. Just call your local bookie
Belinsky,
A) No I didn’t.
B) Even if I did, wouldn’t that be splitting hairs to say that Dover Downs Slots are in financial peril – but the car racing is fine?
J – careful of that door you’re opening with 13-B. They separated the operations of the auto racing from the racino. One is Dover Downs Racing or Monster Mile Racing (or something to that effect) and the other is Dover Downs Entertainment. The harness racing and
slotsvideo lottery falls under the latter. Both are public ventures and have tradeable shares.The theories as to why this happened is wide open, but my belief is it was to shield the auto racing from leaving. Granted, it’s only two weekends a year, but it’s a revenue boon.
Sports betting in Delaware is akin to another pizza joint opening in Middletown. Just ask Grotto.
Leave the sports betting to your friends, and co-workers. Do we have to institutionalize every relationship around here?
I keep screaming, go wild, do something really different, like open a movie studio–w/ our land, taxes, four seasons, access to cities and beaches, and farms, and little airport, we could reign it all in. But nobody listens to me! And guess what? Now Detroit has landed stimulus money for some sort of studio venture…and I bet they don’t get the 4 seasons like we get the four seasons. All this engineering talent……business haven….acceptable weather….location….diverse population….space available….tolerable cost of living…and our forerunner for budget adjustment is sports betting? Honey, that’s a lemonade stand in light of what surrounds us, and what’s available.
Hard to figure. Jason links to a site, Scene Daily, that covers NASCAR. The linked article discusses the proxy statement of Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD), which operates stock car tracks in Tennessee and Delaware, and is not involved in harness racing or casinos. Then Jason says he didn’t link to an article about stock car racing.
The financial health of NASCAR racing has nothing to do with the cycles of casino gambling nor the long slide of harness racing.
Dover Motorsports! That’s the one I was trying to remember in #14. Thanks Belinsky for the clarification.
Joanne – while Grotto’s in Middletown wasn’t a stellar performer, the closure of that location was not the foot traffic, it was a dispute of the lease with the landlord. When they weren’t able to retain that second room (which is why I HATED to bring the kids there…don’t mind games so much, but those machines must have been bought eighth-hand), there was no point to remain. Once they wrapped up, the market wasn’t favorable to relaunch. I guess in that regard (the latter point), you can connect to not needing more venues, but it isn’t why they closed.
Got it Smitty–didn’t want to pick on any of the “lesser” mom ‘n pop pizza shops, who are showing up, thinking, ” I know, let’s open a pizza shop in Middletown!”….and for that matter, tanning and nail salons.
Smitty, you make a good point about shielding the auto races. That’s 150,000+ people coming into Dover twice a year, and they need places to stay (most of them), beer, food, beer, entertainment, and beer. (Is that redundant?) With more locations vying for a spot on the NASCAR calendar, these tracks are doing all they can to keep their races. Some longtime loyal NASCAR venues have been abaondoned to free up dates for new tracks in Texas, California, Arizona, etc.
Now, to answer Jason’s question, there is no good reason to keep sports betting only at the three racinos. Does anyone think Delaware Park’s owners are going to up and leave if the state allows an OTB parlor on the riverfront? People who want to play the (don’t call them) slots will still have to go to the three tracks, and the same goes if you want to watch the ponies.
This should be a non-argument, IMHO.
Now, to answer Jasonâs question, there is no good reason to keep sports betting only at the three racinos.
Thank you.
Now help me out with this. What’s Belinsky’s point? I think he is saying that since I linked to an article that mentioned McGlynn got 16% more this year the racetracks should keep their monopoly.
tsk, tsk, not a murmur of our County Democratic pols’ best friend Del. Park owner William Rickman &Co.(s)?
~~~
“On October 28, 2004 Delaware DEM politician
– receives 6 checks each for the 600 limit from 6 entities. 1)Red Gate II Limited Partnership, 2) Red Gate III LLC, 3) Red Gate IV Associates, 4) Rickman Firstfield Associates, 5) Rickman Piccard LLC, and 6) Rickman Research I Associates. These six entities share the same Maryland address.
According to a 2003 Common Cause of Maryland report these, entities (and others) areessentially âshell entitiesâ controlled and set up by William Rickman to take advantage of a loophole in Marylandâs campaign donations limits. In Maryland each business entity can donate up to Marylandâs campaign limits even if the entity is made up entirely of one or more persons who has already donated the maximum amount. This loophole doesnât exist in Delaware. Itâs closed by Section 8012(e). In addition to the 2003 Common Cause of Maryland report.
Rickman used shell entities to make contributions in excess of state campaign limits in an attempt to influence Maryland legislators in a subsequent April 2004 Common Cause of Maryland report , and articles in the 2/4/03 Baltimore Sun ; 7/27/04 Washington Post , 8/5/04 Washington Post”
I’m thinking of putting a hold on the sports betting until we can shift a larger percentage to the state… The line should be yeah, I’ll vote for it if the state gets 85%, and the personal owners.. 15%…
Anything less, it’s not getting my vote…
Thank you for filling in the blanks Nancy. I thought there was a DE Park malefactor off the hook.
Also, Who stands to gain in Harrington? We need to start naming names so the pols (Dem and Other) getting paid off by these jokers have no where to hide.
According to this recent NJ article re: a hopeful casino developer, Patti Key is the CEO of Harrington Raceway and Casino.
I’m with Smitty in thinking that any sports betting here needs to change that parlay system. One, because I don’t think that the market for parlays is going to be sustainably big enough and two, you know that the next step in competitiveness is a straight bet that is what the other state venues will try to get. The other thing that I question is whether enough people over time will drive to Stanton, Dover or Harrington for a sports bet. Sports betting is basically an OTB transaction and doesn’t lend itself to folks hanging around spending more money, unless you can get them to the race windows. This kind of betting just screams for venues where you’ll capture some impulse spending — like at the I95 rest area.
I still don’t think that the state ought to count on this betting as a consistent revenue stream, though.
Well, you all know how I feel about it. Spreading sports betting to bars and restaurants won’t make the state more attractive to non-gambling related industries, its purpose is to attract young people to gambling, which means the state is targeting our kids, it seems to feed off of the poor more than any other socio-economic group, and it’s a totally visionless way for the state to make money.
I know we had 8 long years with no economic development, but I’m pretty sure we can do better than this to help secure our state’s future.
If we’re going to have wagering on sports, why not wagering on political elections, too?
The outcomes are too easily fixed.
Shouldn’t the solution be that anyone can place a bet where DE lottery machines are?
Take a percentage of the winnings, like store owners currently do for payout. The racinos’ revenue should come from that and walk-in traffic from their sportsbooks…..just like when grandmom buys a pack of juicyfruit when she gets her daily numbers at the 7-11.
1. When the argument takes the form of, “Let’s adopt policy A so we can stick it to B,” bad things usually happen. As Paul B and Maria E point out, an array of evils are nurtured when the state opens another gambling business.
2. I’m sympathetic to ending the horse tracks’ royal treatment, but doing so because of profits in auto racing is silly to the point of embarrassment. As Smitty points out, the auto racing biz was spun off from the hobbling horse operation a while ago.
It isn’t because of auto racing. That’s a red herring. McGlynn is arguing that he is in the poor house.
That is pure bullshit.
Jason: Denis couldn’t claim personal poverty with a straight face and doesn’t. He’s a significant shareholder in Dover Motorsports, as noted in the proxy statement. He’s also been retained to advocate for the less prosperous DD business, for better or worse, to draw on his 35 years of knowledge of Dover, from the days when he was posting entries with Eddie Davis, Vinal Kirby, and Preston Burris. He’s graduated to the bigger-time NASCAR business and would still be livin’ large if the DD harness track were turned into senior citizen high-rise.
As I read the papers, the racetracks are claiming that sports betting outside their sites would hurt their cherry-spins, which subsidize the hoss-racin’ that was the excuse to turn those venues into casinos. They’re probably right that the supply of gambling addicts is proving quite finite. How that should affect public policy will be the scramble over the next 10 weeks.
“I know we had 8 long years with no economic development, but Iâm pretty sure we can do better than this to help secure our stateâs future.”
Righto, Maria. Make sure your solution can be applied before June 30. Suddenly your options aren’t as limitless, are they?
“When the argument takes the form of, âLetâs adopt policy A so we can stick it to B,â bad things usually happen.”
Assuming — maybe I shouldn’t — that you would like to see the racino moguls’ power in Dover curtailed, I can see only two solutions:
1) End their oligarchy, in a manner akin to the Markell plan
2) Wait for the revenue at the tracks to plummet, as it surely will, when Maryland’s tracks add slots.
Do you favor option No. 2? Do you disagree that, if the oligarchy is not broken, the moguls will quickly turn to begging at the doors of Leg Hall for some bones to be tossed their way once they face competition? Do you think all competition for Delaware’s tracks should come from gambling venues in other states? Why?
Bad things happen, period, no matter what the motivation. Try another line of attack.