What Does Everyone Think About the Touch Play Controversy?

[Blue Gardener]

Keep them? Get rid of them? More restrictions?
I can't seem to make up my mind. Gambling does seem to getting a little out of control in the state, but it does bring in revenue. Is the cost too high?

[Debi]

1. I'm not a gambler, so my opinion is pretty weak

Just because of the whole deal my husband and I each put a dollar in a machine (actually my husband put his dollar in and lost it all, then I put mine in and got up to $2.47, he wanted to cash out but I trudged on and ended up losing my dollar as well. He won't let me forget that I didn't quit while I was ahead and lost all our money...wait...read the beginning of this post, he LOST all his money first :eyes:). Anyway, it did show us how easy it would be to blow $5.00, $10.00, $20.00 in one quick stop at the gas station. For that reason they make me nervous.

I don't like that kids have access to them and I don't like that there's not the regulation or 'self-ban' setup like in the casinos. Seems like a person has to make an effort to go to a casino whereas with the Touch-play a person just pops down to the local gas station.

That being said, the legislature was aware of what they were getting into when they agreed to allow these machines in bars and gas stations. They can't cry innocence or cry foul. They need to take responsibility and decide where to go from here (and how they are going to treat the machines and owners of the machines).

I won't touch the machines again. I'll limit my gambling to my PowerBall purchase (although I have been looking into pick-3 or pick-4 purchases as well....)

:hi:

[Blue Gardener]

3. I'm leaning toward getting rid of them

If people are stupid enough to lose all there money gambling, that's their problem, except when they have a family. It really bothers me when the kids suffer because the parents can't control their gambling problem. The new casino going in down by Riverside just infuriates me. It's a totally inappropriate place to put it, being so close to an Amish community, and just a few miles from the University of Iowa. That's all we need is to have college students blowing all their money at a casino hoping for the big payoff.
Powerball and Hot Lotto are about my limit for gambling too. When the boats first opened up I blew $80 on my first visit. I felt guilty about it for a month. I rarely go now, and then only if someone practically drags me there. My limit is one roll of nickels in the slots. :hi:

[Debi]

7. As we were headed home last night we stopped to put gas in the car

when I went in to pay there were the machines, now fenced off with a 'you must be 21' sign on the fencing. However there was another sign that said something like "All touch-play machine users are entitled to one free fountain drink while they play, please go up to the front counter to get your cup". WHAT? Hey, you, sit down, gamble for a while, here's a nice soda for you while your paycheck goes into my cash register...:scared: icky!

[Hobarticus]

2. It is back-door gambling, plain and simple.

Toss 'em.

[CornField]

4. They look & sound like video games

As a mom, I have a heck of time trying to keep my kids away from them. I also cannot name the number of times I've seen a parent/adult put money in the machine and then let their kid push the buttons.

To cut to the chase, I have a heavy dislike of them. (Of course, this is coming from a person who spent over 5 hours in a casino in 1997 and only spent $20... and hasn't visited one since.)

[rurallib]

5. Here is my oddball opinion - take it as that.

Once Iowa (or any other state for that matter) decided to jump in bed with the gambling interests the ball starts rolling down hill. At some point it stops at a place that our legislators never wanted it to go. Now, they try to put part of the genie back in the bottle, to roll the ball back up the hill a bit. But the genie goes back reluctantly and makes the state pay a price for it.
Much as with drugs making some things legal when other similar sometimes less harmful things are illegal tests one's logic skills. So we get legal alcohol and tobacco and illegal marijuana.
That being said, the state got itself in a pickle when it became dependent on gaming revenue. So what the hell is the difference between these machines and buying those scratch off tickets? Some of those folks losing their money on those machines may also be into online gambling. Now there is a good deal.
Personally, I'd prefer to see all gambling chucked. Minnesota did a study about ten years ago after they'd taken to the gambling money for about ten years. At that time they found that each dollar the state took in cost the state @ $1.10 in social services due to bankruptcies and broken families. But what about the raffle fundraisers and the bingo games? That is how it started and like a cancer it slowly took over.
Well since it won't go away and it is hard to demarcate lines to cross or not cross, why not designate some huge portion of the proceeds to REAL anti-gambling education?
Ya' ain't gonna stop it, may as well try to lessen the blow.

[progressoid]

6. Get rid of them

They trash up the state. Nothing worse than checking out at the grocery store with your kids and seeing people glued to those machines.

I thought it was bad the way South Dakota allowed restaurants and gas stations to throw a few machines in the corner. Now I see it here. yuck.

[IA_Seth]

8. I'm all for getting rid of them.

I know I am biased, my mother has a gambling addiction that she has been fighting for years. She's done so well staying out of the casinos the past few years, but I know after talking to her the 'touchplay' machines are just as much of a draw as any casino ever has been.

I just don't see how they can be allowed when "slot machines" are regulated to approved casinos.

To me its akin to having a naked lady in the corner dancin for dollars. We segregate those types of "amenities" to designated clubs because we as a society feel that children shouldn't be exposed to it, as well as adults who don't want to see it. We have laws to designate gambling to approved areas, how is this different?

As far as revenue generated (and its debatable if they are a benefit for the long term), I think if the state needs money that badly it should be raised statewide and we shouldn't rely on bending existing rules to get Iowa-owned slots in corner stores.

How long before we see an Iowa Lottery roulette table at the Kwik Shop?