After analyzing the S.C. criminal justice system to determine what factors contribute to crime, the nonprofit Justice Fellowship reported Monday that the counties with the most crime also have the most video poker machines. York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant said the study s findings supported the anecdotal evidence he sees every day linking video poker to crime. We find that a lot of robberies and thefts are related to it, Bryant said.
People get desperate for money, and they ll do anything for it so they can play.
Congress is preparing to act on an array of legislation that could dramatically alter the nation s booming casino industry, as an antigambling coalition led by key Republicans fights GOP leaders to eliminate tax breaks for the industry. The strength of the antigambling movement will be tested in the coming weeks. The antigambling movement is led by a group of religious conservatives, notably the influential James Dobson of Focus on the Family. Dobson is working with Republicans such as Senators Dan R. Coats of Indiana and John Ashcroft of Missouri to enact bills intended to slow the explosive growth of gambling. When the Senate killed the tobacco bill last week, opponents raged.