No Casino Gambling in Kentucky

      Expand the tax base, not gambling, to increase revenue. – Otis "Bullman" Hensley.

      I am the only Democratic candidate for governor who says NO to expanded gambling. I am asking churches to help spread the word and Christians to donate $15 to $25 if they can afford it to help me keep casino gambling out of Kentucky. Please send contributions to P.O. Box 589, Wallins Creek, KY 40873.

      We already have a lot of gambling in Kentucky. We have the lottery, race-track betting, off-track betting, betting on sporting events through bookies, bingo, Texas Hold-em tournaments, raffles, and more. Gambling also has negative consequences which will become worse if we expand it in Kentucky. I spoke with several convenience store workers who told me that many times people will spend money on lottery tickets rather than buy milk or other food for their families. I have heard accounts of people gambling away everything they own, leaving their families with nothing. One person even gambled away the vehicle that he drove to a casino. A minister embezzled money from his church and lost it gambling at the boats in Indiana. Our state already spends a lot of money dealing with serious drug addiction problems, why do we want to make things worse by increasing gambling addiction? What will we do for the families who have lost everything?

      Casino gambling will be a direct competitor of the lottery, horse racing, and charitable gaming and likely will draw a significant amount of its business from those activities. If the amount of money bet on horse races significantly declines because of competition from casinos, then the future of Kentucky's horse farms will be threatened. The money bet on horse races is the most important source of revenue for the horse racing industry. A significant reduction will ripple through the industry affecting purses, horse sales, stud fees, and more. Horse farms are one of Kentucky's signature industries. Why do we want to put them at such risk?

      I believe that if casinos are allowed in Kentucky, then we will be forced to vote the state wet and will have more problems with crime and prostitution. This is not what we want for our state. We are not Las Vegas. We need more jobs, better schools, and better lives, not casinos. Help me keep casinos out of Kentucky by getting your friends, neighbors, and relatives to vote for Otis "Bullman" Hensley in the Democratic primary on May 22.