Lincoln One Day Horse Race is a Farce

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An article posted on August 11, 2015 in the Lincoln Star Journal was entitled: Date set for Lincoln’s one annual horse race.

This was our response; also posted in Lincoln Journal Star on August 20, 2015.

I found it very interesting that the Lincoln Race Course is so proud to announce their one day a year of horse racing in order to keep their simulcast license. They should be ashamed of themselves for bragging about this farce. Nebraska Horse tracks are the only business in the state allowed to gamble on simulcast races in other states. They were given that privilege years ago under the guise that they would use the profits to hold horse races and thus “save the horses.” Well, that never happened and now they are back saying they need slots to “save the horses.” When will the gambling industry admit that they dont give a hoot about the horses and just want to use them to line their own pockets with gambling dollars?

Just look at what happened to our neighbor, Iowa. The gambling industry cried that they needed slots to “save the dogs.” They got the slots but just last year a Council Bluffs casino announced they were losing $9 million a year keeping dog racing alive. They offered their Legislature millions to let them off the hook, dump the dogs and continue to make a fortune on slots. Proponents of the change said it was time for the dogs to go as they are a dying breed. The same thing will happen to the poor horses that are being used as pawns in the Nebraska scenario.

A one or two day race season in Lincoln and Omaha is not live horse racing. The Racing Commission no longer exists to support live horse racing. They are working to transform horse tracks into other forms of gambling, like simulcasting and, their dream, slot machine parlors. This is not good for live horse racing or for Nebraska. The state racing commission fears its own end since horse racing has effectively ended in Nebraska due to lack of public interest.

“Give us the slots, and well create jobs and save the horses,” they promise.  Dont bet on it!  What it will do is increase gambling addiction, which in turn destroys families and legitimate businesses. Do we need more crime, more embezzlements, more divorces and more suicides? NO

The Racing Board in Nebraska also announced that they will be back in the Legislature next year to try to get the “Historic Horse Racing Machines” put on the ballot. Remember that these are the same “Dead Horse Slot Machines” that have been defeated year after year. Rest assured, if they are coming back then so will we. Gambling with the Good Life has protected Nebraska families and businesses against expanded gambling successfully for the past 20 years, and we are not about to give up now.

Pat Loontjer   Executive Director   Gambling with the Good Life

Protecting Nebraska families and businesses against expanded gambling since 1995

From GREY2K USA

From an email sent by From GREY2k USA:

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Dear Friends,

Yesterday, GREY2K USA learned that the last greyhound track in Texas was calling it quits! That’s right, Gulf Greyhound Park, the third and final dog track in the Lone Star State will close its doors to live racing by January 1.

Read the Galveston Daily News and Austin American-Statesman stories now.

Gulf Greyhound Park is one of the worst dog tracks in the country, and this is truly a victory for everyone who cares about dogs. Hundreds of greyhounds will now be released from their cages and given the second chance they deserve. If you are interested in adopting, please contact our friends at Greyhound Rescue Austin or the Texas Adopt a Greyhound Society.

More than two thousand greyhound injuries have been reported at Gulf since 2008 alone, including broken legs, puncture wounds, a broken neck and a crushed skull. During the same period, 115 dogs died or were destroyed due to the severity of their injuries. Meanwhile, the amount of money gambled on live racing fell by 61% over the last decade. As a result, there were fewer and fewer funds muzzled greyhoundavailable to care for the greyhounds, and at least one kennel worker was sanctioned for failing to seek veterinary care for an injured dog. Another trainer was also caught on tape using live rabbits to bait his dogs.

Read more about dog racing in Texas and nationwide in our national High Stakes report.

Once Texas racing ends later this year, greyhound racing will be legal and operation in just six states. Thanks to everyone who worked with us last summer to keep slot machines out of Gulf Greyhound Park. The track spokesperson has conceded that this was the last hope she had for keeping the aging facility afloat and acknowledges that “the economics of live greyhound racing have significantly deteriorated.”

Enough greyhounds have suffered and died while racing in Texas, but soon this cruelty will come to an end. Please continue to support our work until the dogs in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, West Virginia and worldwide get the same chance.

Together we can do it!

20th Anniversary Celebration

IMG_0991Pat Loontjer, Executive Director of Gambling with the Good Life is happy to announce that they will be celebrating 20 years of no expanded gambling in Nebraska since this grassroots organization was formed in 1995.

Loontjer went on to say that a celebration dinner will be held at the Governor’s Mansion to commemorate this special event. We are thrilled to be celebrating with our wonderful Governor Pete Ricketts who has been on our Board for the last 10 years and a tremendous supporter of our cause. He will be there to welcome us and to present the following proclamation.

 

 

The following photos are from the event:

 

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Proclamation – Presented Aug. 3, 2015

20th Anniversary of “Gambling with the Good Life”

IMG_0991WHEREAS: Gambling with the Good Life was formed as a grassroots organization in 1995 with the expressed goal of preventing expanded gambling in the great state of Nebraska.

WHEREAS: The devastation that gambling addiction causes for both families and society has been well documented and has affected many of our neighboring states.

WHEREAS: For the past 20 years a dedicated group of citizens have successfully fought off the predatory gambling interests and preserved the “good life” that we all enjoy today.

WHEREAS: The observance of this momentous anniversary of Gambling with the Good Life provides us with a special time to recognize that concerned citizens who with hard work and dedication have accomplished remarkable victories that have blessed the entire state.

NOW, THEREFORE: I, Pete Ricketts, Governor of the State of Nebraska, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE the 20th ANNIVERSARY OF “GAMBLING WITH THE GOOD LIFE” in Nebraska, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of the observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the Great Seal of the State of Nebraska to be affixed this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen.