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Gambling Opponent: Gambling Losing Ground

LAS VEGAS — As reported by Sacramento Bee: "Americans spent $68.7 billion on gambling in 2002, the last year for which figures are available. That's about 1 percent of the nation's entire personal annual income — and more than was spent on shoes or furniture or car insurance or books, movies, CDs, DVDs, cassettes or Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola combined.

"Nevertheless, even as states with gambling consider new ways to expand the controversial industry, the Rev. Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, believes 'we're winning the war.'

"…According to his numbers, which are not vigorously disputed by the industry, 42 of 45 legislative or electoral efforts to expand gambling in the United States at the state or local level last year were defeated.

"…'If there ever was a year where we should have seen a substantial expansion of gaming, it was 2003,' said Bill Eadington, executive director of the Institute for Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada, Reno. 'But virtually nothing happened. . . . I expect that 2004 will be similar.'

"Industry observers attribute the general lack of expansion to several factors. One is the effectiveness of low-budget but well-organized groups such as Grey's in kicking up enough of a fuss at local levels to push gambling interests toward greener pastures.

"…Many of the states that saw gambling expansion efforts fail last year are likely to be revisited by proposals this year…"

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