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This list has been left up for historical purposes.Casino Gambling- What is It and Is It A Bad Gamble for Branson?By: Gary J. Groman(This is a reprint of an article appearing in the Branson Daily News)
The games of chance normally covered under the term gambling can
fall into relatively few main areas such as Lotteries, Bingo,
Casino Gambling, and Dog and Horse Track Racing. Lotteries and
Bingo are already here. The State controls the Lottery and Bingo
which is readily available at the American Legion and other places
on a regular basis and with State sanction. Although there is
the remote possibility that a Dog or Horse Track could be built
in the Branson Area, by in large, when folks talk of gambling
coming to Branson, they are referring to Casino Gambling.
Casino Gambling covers card games such as Poker, Black Jack, Caribbean
Poker and others, dice games such as Craps, Slot Machines, Video
Poker, Roulette, Keno etc. Of these games of chance the only
one that a person has any remote mathematical probability of winning
is Black Jack and even that depends on the rules of the casino
and the ability of the player to count cards, stick to a disciplined
strategy, and manage their money properly. These skills are not
often demonstrated in actual play and, when displayed by an individual,
often resulting in that person being banned from the casinos.
Casino Gambling is set up with the specific basic strategy of
separating its participants from their money as quickly as possible.
In terms of entertainment it is about as entertaining as having
your pockets picked.
Casino Gambling used to be a unique product that was legally available,
in this country, only in Las Vegas. Today however, Casino Gambling
is readily available in many places outside of Las Vegas and close
to the markets that feed Branson, such as Iowa, St. Louis, Kansas
City etc. The State of Kansas even has Casino type Keno as part
of its State Lottery System. Like Missouri, more and more of
our surrounding states are considering the enactment of laws which
permit the expansion of Casino Gambling. Said another way, Casino
Gambling is becoming common place and is no longer unique.
The Branson area currently has a product that is unique. It is
the product of Family Entertainment. That's right folks, Family
Entertainment with a capital F and E! It is a place where families
can come and not worry about the type of entertainment their children
and themselves will be exposed to or their safety. It is a unique
entertainment environment and one that, in this writer's opinion,
entitles Ozarks Mountain Country to proudly proclaim itself as
the "Family Entertainment Capitol of the World."
Oh it might be copied by Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach and perhaps
others but Branson was first and can remain first if it does two
things. First it must remains focused on that which makes it
both unique and first, Family Entertainment. Second but perhaps
more importent than the first is our willingness to take a position
against Casino Gambling in the area and be willing to fight for
it. Jesus Christ said it best when he said, "If they are
not against us then they are for us."
Even as Casino Gambling is discussed for Ozarks Mountain Country
other areas are trying to emulate what we already have. It's
ironic that over the last ten years or so, Las Vegas, the Casino
Gambling Capitol of the World, has been trying to acquire that
which we in Ozarks Mountain Country already have, respectability
and appeal to the whole family. Anyone familiar with Las Vegas
has watched the trend of appealing to families develop but when
all is said and done, Las Vegas will still be the Gambling Capitol
of the World that has some family entertainment available. Its
uniqueness and primary purpose is still Casino Gambling with family
entertainment as the carrot that draws folks in.
Another definition of gambling, and the one that applies when
evaluating whether or not Casino Gambling has a place in Ozarks
Mountain Country, is "to take a risk in order to gain an
advantage." From a pure business point of view, why risk
the uniqueness of what we have? What advantage will we gain?
What will we have to offer those that come to us that they can
not get somewhere else if not the "Family Entertainment Capitol
of the World?" It is that uniqueness that separates us from
the rest. Is it worth the gamble to have Casino Gambling in Ozarks
Mountain Country? I'd bet it not worth the gamble. Is the title
of Family Entertainment Capitol of the World worth fighting for?
I think so. What do you think?
Permission is granted by Gary J. Groman, 230 River Point Road,
Hollister, MO. 65672 to print and other wise communicate the information
contained herein, either in whole or in part.
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