On November 4, the citizens of Lakewood will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to prohibit mini-casinos in our community.

We urge you to vote “yes” to prohibit mini-casinos in Lakewood.

Gambling is not smart economic policy. Casinos hurt local businesses by siphoning off restaurant, hotel and retail customers and their dollars and limiting economic growth throughout Lakewood

Casinos are only about the profit they generate for their owners. Casinos do not create products. They don’t provide needed services. Casinos are a business that deals only in money. Customers bring money in to the casinos – and casinos take it out – minus a small amount to cities as taxes for their right to suck even more money out of the community.

The four mini-casinos in Lakewood took more than $26 million out of the pockets of our citizens in 2008. For a comparison on just how much money that is, consider that $26 million is equivalent to $416 lost for every man, woman and child in Lakewood. What does Lakewood get in return: $46 in tax revenue per person. Hardly a fair exchange. (read more...)

How the ballot will read:

City of Lakewood

Cardrooms ("minicasinos") prohibited ballot measure

The Lakewood City Council submits the following question to the voters of the City of Lakewood regarding the prohibition of cardrooms in the city:

Should licensed gambling in the form of the conduct or operation of social card games as commercial stimulants ( commonly known as "minicasinos") be prohibited in the city of Lakewood?

Yes [] No []

Explanatory Statement:

Under state law social card games are allowed as a commercial stimulant to other business such as restaurants. There are currently four (4) buinesses in the city of Lakewood using social card games as commercial stimulant.

These businesses are commonly referred to as "minicasinos"

IN FY 2007 tax revenue generated by "minicasinos" was $2.907 million. Pursuant to state law, this revenue shall be used primarily for enforcement of provisions of state gambling regulations.

These businesses are all located within a half mile of the 1-5 corridor. State law preempts the ability of the city to control the number of these businesses: The city may either ban them entirely or allow them subject only to state licnesing requirements. (--read more--)