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California Tribe to Fund Problem Gambling Program

BARSTOW, California – As reported by the California Desert Dispatch: "Identifying someone as a compulsive gambler is harder than spotting a drug addict or alcoholic with obvious physical signs of a problem.

"'We don't believe we'll ever convince the public it is a serious social problem,' Bruce Roberts, president of the California Council on Problem Gambling, said.

Gambling addiction is, however, a problem that critics of the proposed Indian casino have said they're worried about.

"…To address gambling addiction, the recently released draft municipal services agreement between the city and the Los Coyotes Band of Indians has provisions for helping problem gamblers.

"…The program would get its start from a $40,000 payment from the tribe as soon as the city approves construction plans for the casino. Then, the tribe would provide $40,000 a year for the program.

"An income of about $40,000 is in the same ballpark as an existing agreement the Council on Problem Gambling has. The Council gets $50,000 a year to provide a problem gambling program for the United Auburn Indian Community, which operates the new Thunder Valley Casino near Sacramento…"

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