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Amendment 50:
Expanded Gambling in Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek



Summary

The amendment would allow mountain casinos and Indian casinos to raise their constitutionally set betting limits from $5 to $100 (a 475% increase). It would also allow casinos to operate 24 hours a day and add Las Vegas-style craps tables and roulette wheels to their “limited stakes” operations.


Position:  Vote NO
Provided by: Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly
Amendment 50 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:

  • allow residents of Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek to vote to extend casino hours, approve additional games, and increase the maximum single bet limit;
  • give most of the gaming tax revenue that results from new gaming limits to Colorado community colleges and to the gaming cities and counties;
  • require statewide voter approval for any gaming tax increase if new gaming limits are adopted by any gaming town; and
  • exempt the revenue raised from new gaming limits from state and local revenue and spending limits.
Any monetary benefit to Colorado from drastically expanding gambling is far outweighed by the societal ills that accompany this foolish measure. It is bad government policy. Government should promote public virtue not entice its citizens to engage in potentially destructive behavior.

The number of Colorado citizens controlled by gambling addictions would only increase if this measure passed. Studies have shown that the rate of gambling addictions grows when gambling opportunities increase.

Studies also show that legalized gambling often hurts those who are unemployed, poor and disadvantaged to a greater extent than other citizens.

RMFC position:
VOTE XX
Vote NO
RMFC position:
Vote NO