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Past Oregon governors have limited Oregon's 7 tribes to one casino per tribe and the casino must be on reservation.  Allowing a private casino in Multnomah County opens the door to putting casinos anywhere in the state and will upset that delicate balance we have currently with tribes.  Why should Oregonians want this, especially when casinos compete with the state lottery?  Location, location, location...

posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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There will be a cost to Oregonians with putting in a private casino.  People spend only so much on gambling--- that means less dollars to the competition, i.e. tribal casinos AND the state lottery. Oregon relies a great deal on state lottery dollars to balance the budget; these lottery dollars mean money for schools.  The tribal casinos also bring money to local government and if that money decreases, it will mean more money that the state will likely need to divert back to the local counties to support those services.  I think it is time to think about renegotiating what the tribes are required to invest back into Oregon.  The percentage seems low compared to other states.  However, federal law puts restrictions on what states can require.  The tribal compacts presently have exclusivity clauses that are a bonus to tribes and would allow the state to require more... if we allow a private casino... we lose the exclusivity clause and will be hampered going forward. 

posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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