The Asheville Citizen-Times dedicates a large amount of print today looking at the different laws concerning gambling in North Carolina and how recent court decisions have made enforcing these laws much more troublesome.
gambling in North Carolina, from video machines in bars to corporate
sweepstakes and Harrah's Cherokee Casino.
Both rulings stem from the state's video gambling law. One
case has raised questions about Indian gambling rights that could be a
roadblock to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' pursuit of live
casino games. The other has stymied lawmakers and police trying to
stamp out video poker and its descendants.
Does anyone get the feeling the state is talking out both sides of its mouth on this issue?
On one hand we have laws being passed and video poker being "stamp(ed) out" because of its harm to society. But on the other hand we have the state sponsoring and promoting gambling through its own "Education" Lottery.
So, gambling is ok, so long as it's run by the state? Or is the state just afraid of competition from video poker or other forms of gambling will hurt the market for the lottery and thus produce less money for it to spend?
And (for my Libertarian brethren out there) why should the state care how we spend our money? I earned it, and what little government allows me to keep, shouldn't I be able to spend however I see fit?
I always thought the Cherokee Reservation was exempt from state laws…????
If the state gets to do it, why can’t I do it? What of I want to run Eric’s Liquor and Lottery Outlet?
The state can, so why can’t I? The nature of drinking or gambling is EXACTLY the same if I profit off of it than if the state does. It is either good or bad. It cannot be good if the state does it and bad if I do it.