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Myth: |
The United States federal
government is opposed to gambling. |
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Fact: |
The United States federal
government owns and operates casinos at
military installations in other countries.
As an owner and operator of casinos, the
federal government can hardly be said to be
anti-gambling. |
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Details: |
The United States federal
government directly offers international
betting and gambling services. The four
branches of the United States armed forces
operate about 8,000 slot machines and video
poker electronic gaming devices (“EGDs”) at
94 military bases and installations located
outside the United States. In 1999, military
personnel, civilian employees of the United
States and local nationals gambled US $1.2
billion at these government-owned and
operated gambling premises. Approximately
92.5 percent of the money wagered at these
government facilities is returned to players
as winnings and the remainder—some US $125
million in 2000–was retained by the military
as revenue for its “morale, welfare and
recreation” activities. In 2001, the United
States Department of Defense submitted a
written report evaluating the social impact
of the readily available gambling machines
and concluded that the presence of the
military casinos did not have a negative
effect on the morale or financial stability
of the United States forces, their family
members and other persons—including foreign
nationals—who gambled at the government
owned facilities. |
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References: |
Associated Press, “Military Runs Slot Machines, Offers Little Help to Addicts,” (14 January 2001) (http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/stories/011401/new_Military.html)
Jeremy Kirk, “DOD Study: Slots on Bases Overseas Not Leading Troops to Financial Hardship,” Stars and Stripes (22 August 2001)
http://www.pstripes.com/01/aug01/ed082201b.html
United States Department of Defense, Report on the Effect of the Ready Availability of Slot Machines on Members of the Armed Forces, Their Dependents, and Others (2001)
http://armedservices.house.gov/reports/2001executivereports/01-11-05slotmachine.pdf
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