Lebanon
Councilors Clifton Below and Erling Heistad both grew emotional as they warned their colleagues about the evils of problem gambling, recounting personal stories and providing statistics.
“I do not believe we, as elected leaders, should be advancing what I think is essentially predatory, state-sponsored gambling,” Below said, wiping tears from his eyes. “It preys on people who are vulnerable to addiction.”
While most people are able to gamble within their means, there are others who become addicted to games of chance, Below said. And those people often come from disadvantaged backgrounds or are already prone to other forms of substance misuse, he said.
Keno has the possibility of making an already bad situation worse, Below said. Because games are played in five-minute intervals, players wouldn’t have to wait for daily or weekly drawings before betting again.
Below also cited the state’s lack of support for prevention and treatment for problem gambling as a concern.
New Hampshire currently earmarks no public funding to help an estimated 22,000 residents with gambling issues. Instead, the New Hampshire Lottery Commission makes a $25,000 annual donation to the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling.
The law enabling keno requires 1 percent of profits to go toward treatment for problem gamblers, but Below called that a “token throwaway” that’s likely not enough.
Below, a former Democratic state senator, also was critical of the state’s scheme to use keno revenue to shore up education spending, saying it’s “a sort of easy cop out for politicians” to avoid larger funding problems.
Of the $43.7 million in estimated revenue during keno’s first year, roughly $8.4 million is earmarked to go into an education trust fund to support statewide full-day kindergarten. Cities don’t have to allow keno to collect those funds.
Under state law, the game is only available in establishments with a liquor license in communities that vote to allow it. Eleven of the 12 communities that have debated putting the measure up for a ballot vote have done so, according to Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the state Lottery Commission. Franklin is the only one to have approved it, so far. Only Portsmouth declined to put it to a vote, he told city councilors.
McIntyre estimated Granite Staters spend $25 million every year playing keno in Massachusetts, and suggested that Lebanon is well-positioned to draw in gamers from Vermont.
For example, the Circle K store in West Lebanon sees some of the highest New Hampshire lottery sales outside of Manchester, suggesting other establishments could see a boost from keno, McIntyre said.
Participating businesses also receive 8 percent of the profits from keno.
But those sales aren’t worth it to Heistad, who recounted the suicide of a friend who suffered from problem gambling. The man had been a college professor and moved to Nevada in retirement, where gambling drew him into debt.
“He ended up losing his house, losing his vehicle,” Heistad said. “He lost a marriage. He lost his livelihood. He lost his two kids.”
Below and Heistad appeared to have swayed some councilors who were inclined to put keno on the ballot going into Wednesday’s meeting.
Assistant Mayor Tim McNamara said he’s personally opposed to gambling, but worried voting against a ballot measure would be too “paternalistic.” But he noted that it’s difficult for all residents to be fully informed.
“I do think that if we simply put it on the ballot, regardless of what we do, voters are not going to get the kind of background that’s been provided to us tonight,” he said.
Other councilors worried about putting the issue on the ballot prior to holding a public hearing. Councilor Karen Liot Hill said she’d like to hear from more businesses and residents to determine if there’s enough interest to justify a citywide vote.
“I think it’s probably reasonable to have a public hearing where people have a chance to share,” she said. “I know that you’re not the only people in Lebanon who feel so passionately about this issue.”
The council ultimately voted, 7-2, to schedule a hearing for Jan. 3, after which they will decide whether to place keno on the ballot.
Below and Heistad voted in opposition.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.