Lawmakers Considering Slot Machines 

Minnesota lawmakers are wondering if they might want to bring in slot machines to their bars. They know that there is a lot of money to be made off of the slot machines, and they think that this might be the way to close their budget gap. They know that if they don’t bring in some sort of revenue that the state is going to have to start cutting much needed programs like education and Meals on Wheels, and slot machines is the only way that they can currently see to fix that.  

DFL Senator David Tomassoni of Chisholm says that slot machines might be exactly what the state needs. He says that slot machines are a better alternative to cutting services or raising state taxes – two things that he knows residents do not want to see. He says that slot machines would stop that from happening and “raise a billion dollars in revenue” in the meantime. He says not only would the slot machine revenue be good for them, but it would also be good for their bar owners as they need the additional business. 

But some residents are very upset by the idea. They say that the slot machines will only increase crime and that bars are the worst possible places you could put them. They might bring in more money from a bar, but those same slot machines are preying on people who are there drinking and thus have their guard down. They say that it would lead to irresponsible gambling and that is something that they cannot afford.
They want to know how much of their slot machine revenues would go to counsel all the problem gamblers that the slot machines would create by being there. They want to know what their other options are before they even consider slot machines.