There are three sides to the debate over “adult arcades” in Marengo County; the moral side, the economic side, and the legal side. Anyway you argue it, all roads lead to the same conclusion: the arcades must go.
Moral Issue: Gambling is a known, documented addiction. I’ve personally seen it get a hold on people with no other vices to speak of. Poor, single mothers carry their paychecks to the casino hoping to increase the rent money. When their plan works, they have a rush of happiness they can’t seem to find anywhere else. When the plan fails, and it almost always does, they are left with a sadness and emptiness that can only be fixed with money they used to have. A rational person doesn’t bet their rent, utility, food and gas money on the off chance they may win more back, but having a much greater chance of losing it all. When guilty pleasures start affecting your life and the lives around you, it’s no longer “innocent fun” but a problem. To give poor people false hope and take their money, all with the city’s paid-for blessing, is a disgrace.
Economic Issue: Gambling advocates of these “adult arcades” say things like “all the money won is spent in the community”, or “license fees and taxes off winnings spent help pay to protect the city and it’s citizens.” These folks talk as if the money is coming from some far off source that can afford it. The money spent comes mostly from the poor of our community. You will never step into any of these places and find Austin Caldwell, Freddie Armstead, Pat Vice, etc. pulling on slot machines. Just how do you justify someone spending $150 of their rent money so they can spend a $20 dollar gift certificate to Wal-Mart? Meanwhile, that person’s child has to wear last year’s clothes and do his homework in the dark because his mom spent all their cash on a chance. The greedy politicians can’t see past the license fees to notice what these money traps do the citizens they are supposed to look out for. The only people gaining from these arcades are the arcade owners; and they are making out plenty.
Legal Issue: the fact is these casinos are illegal in the county. The law in Alabama states games of chance can not have a payout more than $5 in value. The appeals court wrote this opinion on skill VS chance regarding slot machines: "...the mere fact that the outcome of a game, either in a single play or over multiple plays, can be affected by an understanding of the laws of probability or ... the rules of the game, or can be affected by other recognizable techniques or knowledge, does not change the fundamental nature of that game. Simply put, a player's understanding of the rules or the laws of probability relating to a game of chance does not change the fact that he is playing a game of chance. A player may be 'skilled' at 'playing the odds,' but he is still 'playing the odds.'" The “Chuck E. Cheese” law was written to allow games such as arcade basketball and “ski ball” to pay out tickets for prizes in a children’s arcade or carnival, not to allow slot machines. The fact these arcades in Marengo Co. pay out in gift certificates doesn’t matter, they are still illegal according to the state law. The city should be held responsible for taking a license fee and allowing these arcades into the community. Pat Vice denied a restaurant a license in Linden because they served alcohol, and yet he allows casinos? Last time I checked, alcohol isn’t illegal, so denying that restaurant would have been no different than denying the casino. Except, the casino pays the city more money to operate. The argument that they have to let them operate is as lame as the arcades themselves.
My final 2 cents: Casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, etc offer a lot more than just a slot machine or two. These arcades in our community don’t offer anything positive for our community. The fact that they are illegal only adds insult to the injury they are causing our community. If any city official has a set, shut these dumps down now. As for citizens, avoid them altogether. I’ve watched too many legitimate businesses in Demopolis and Linden go under due to lack of traffic and patronage. Why should these arcades be so lucky?
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