Associated Press - Feb. 14, 2000
HONOLULU -- Opponents of legalized gambling in Hawaii turned out in force last week to urge the state Legislature
to reject a bill that would allow shipboard gambling.
Despite the opposition, Rep. Jerry Chang, D-South Hilo, the Tourism Committee chairman who introduced the bill,
believes "there's people at home, cheering it on from the sidelines."
With some 40,000 people from Hawaii going to Las Vegas each month, it shows there is support for legalized gambling,
he said.
Chang deferred a decision on the bill, saying he may write another draft to try to get sufficient committee support
to advance it.
"If I have the votes, we'll put it on the floor," he said.
If the measure clears the House Tourism Committee, it would have hearings before the Judiciary and Finance committees,
where it faces even longer odds.
Gov. Ben Cayetano on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to shipboard gambling.
"If we do go into gambling ... I think that we'll find the floodgates will be open to a group that may be
uncontrollable, that we'll see an expansion of social ills and problems that will cost the state a great deal of
money," he said.
Hawaii Government Employees Association leader Russell Okata told the committee that shipboard gaming could provide
economic revitalization through new jobs and additional tax revenues.
"It will complement the other visitor-related attractions and activities to attract more international visitors
and keep Hawaii as the No. 1 tourist destination in the world," he said.
Others supporting the measure included Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Pacific Cruises and Hawaii Gaming Advocates,
a pro-gambling lobbying organization.
Representatives of law enforcement and religious and community groups, however, argued that gambling drains money
from existing businesses, opens the door to criminal activity and creates greater social problems.
"We understand the allure of gambling as a quick-fix to Hawaii's economic problems," Honolulu prosecutor
Peter Carlisle told the committee.
"However, we oppose gambling because we believe that the economic benefits provided by gambling are far outweighed
by increased crime rates and social costs to families whose incomes may be substantially reduced by chronic gambling."
Errol Christian, program director of the Hawaii Catholic Conference representing 230,000 island Catholics, said
the church does not consider games of chance immoral.
"While gaming is meant to be recreational, it is not uncommon for people to become addicted to gaming,"
he said. "When individuals begin to spend more money on gambling than on family necessities, this recreational
activity becomes a vice."
Chang's measure calls for an eight-year shipboard gambling experiment during which time the state auditor would
determine the various fiscal impacts. It would impose an unspecified state admission tax on each gambler and a
12 percent wagering tax on the adjusted gross receipts of the shipboard gambling.