What the Passage of Issue 2 Would Mean

Casinos,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 1, 2024

Little Rock, AR – On Friday, Family Council Director Jerry Cox issued a statement clarifying how the passage of Issue 2 would impact Arkansas.

Cox said, “The advertising surrounding Issue 2 has been the most confusing I’ve seen in years. Even members of the Arkansas Legislature have asked us for help understanding the issue. The ads are confusing, but the measure itself is pretty simple.

“A vote for Issue 2 prevents the State of Arkansas from licensing a casino out of Russellville, and it prevents any additional casinos from being opened in Arkansas without a new constitutional amendment and without local voter approval at a special election.

“A vote against Issue 2 means the State of Arkansas will license a casino in Russellville.”

Cox concluded his remarks by saying, “We believe it is important for Arkansans to vote wisely, and we want to help them understand the issues. When Arkansas voters understand the issues, they do what’s right.”

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How are college students affected by gambling addictions?

Casinos, Gambling,

Recently the Lancet Public Health Commission published a report highlighting concerns over gambling’s impact on public health and calling for “stronger policy and regulatory controls” to protect individuals, and families.

Gambling has expanded drastically in the past few years — especially online and in the form of sports betting. It has become more accessible, and millions of people are now at in danger of suffering from problem gambling as a result.

WTOL 11 in Ohio reports that college students are at risk for gambling addictions. Watch this video below to learn more.

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Arkansas Lawmakers Approve Sports Betting on Smart Phones

Casinos,

On Tuesday the Arkansas Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee approved a state rule change that permits sports betting online via mobile devices.

The new rule is slated to take effect in a few days.

Under this new rule, gamblers will be able to bet on sporting events online via a computer, smart phone, or other mobile device from anywhere in Arkansas.

As we have said for weeks, when voters passed Amendment 100 in 2018, they authorized casino gambling at certain locations in Arkansas — not from anywhere in the state over the Internet.

This rule change permits sports betting anywhere in Arkansas. That isn’t what voters had in mind back in 2018.

It’s impossible to monitor Internet gambling to be sure state and federal laws are enforced.

No matter how many safeguards and security features are in place, there’s no way to guarantee that children won’t gamble via these smart phone apps.

People who gamble online face a serious risk of developing a gambling addiction, and some research indicates that people who engage in sports betting are twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems.

Arkansas already has enough problems from gambling. These new rules only make those problems worse.

Bottom line: Online sports betting is a bad bet for Arkansas.

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