Posted on 02/01/2006 9:52:03 PM PST by iowamark
Des Moines, January 30th - The battle of taking away Touchplays becomes personal tonight. A man who stands to lose millions says a candidate for governor will now lose his support.
Republican Gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle says he doesn't want to see Iowa become addicted to the money the Iowa Lottery's Touchplay machines bring in. He proposes pulling the plugs on Touchplays even though it'll cost the state 45 million next year. Now, one of Nussle's biggest supporters is pulling his support.
Bill Krause is one of the Republican party's biggest activists and biggest donors. He may also have the most to lose if lawmakers ban Touchplays. Krause is the founder and owner of the Kum N Go convenience store chain. The lottery says 205 of his stores have Touchplays. Records show Krause also founded a distribution company call Royal Financial. That company distributes nearly 1,500 Touchplays to stores all over the state. So Krause makes money on two fronts. He makes money from distribution of the Touchplay machines. Plus, he makes money the machines bring in to the Kum N Go stores. Krause had supported Jim Nussle for governor. Records show he and his son have donated about 25-thousand dollars to Nussle's campaign.
We obtained an email from the Associated Press reportedly from Krause to Nussle after Nussle told supporters he wants Touchplays removed. Krause is quoted as saying to Nussle, ''Jim, you have destroyed our confidence in you as a candidate for governor. Please take all the Krauses and our employees off any mailings.'' Krause is not commenting on the email. Nussle's campaign said Krause is not asking to get his campaign donation back. And Nussle won't change his position on wanting to take away the Touchplays.
imo
When I saw my first such named store driving through Iowa some years back, I couldn't believe my eyes.
I've asked the question of who cannot have some of these machines? How about my daughter's gift shop. If this is such a money maker, why can't anyone have one?
Someone suggested they put them in the rotunda of the Capitol. Gambling is out of control in Iowa. Not good.
I'm neither a fan of Vil(e)sack nor a fan of gambling. For that matter, I'm no fan of Nussle's proposed ethanol-blended gasoline mandate, either.
But, to set the record straight, (1) these Touchplay machines are required (perhaps by law?) to be off-limits to children. If children are playing them, that's the fault of the proprietor, not the governor. Blaming Vil(e)sack for that is too much like blaming Smith & Wesson for kids having access to guns. (2) These are no more "slot machines" than are the pocket electronic "slot machines" sold by Radio Shack. Because, from what I've heard, the Touchplays dispense lottery tickets, not cash; thus, they're nothing more than the lottery's latest marketing gimmick.
They are supposed to be “monitored” to prevent children from playing. But placing loud flashing slot machines in child friendly environments like supermarkets and C-stores is clearly designed to promote slots to the young and naive.
Vilsack and the Dems know exactly what they are doing. Gambling has been one of the few winning issues for Dems nationally in recent years. Republicans oppose it at their own peril.
Gambling is so addictive to both the players and proprietors that we need to draw the line now.
http://www.ialottery.com/Touchplay/Touchplayjt.html
About TouchPlay
The Iowa Lottery is the first lottery in the nation to offer TouchPlay, vending machines that use video and sound to reveal the results of the pull-tab tickets they dispense.
Players insert money into the monitor vending machines as they do with any other vending machine. However, after the ticket is dispensed, the machine's video monitor displays the results of the ticket while entertaining electronic tones indicate whether the ticket has won a prize.
• The machines don't pay out money. Players redeem the winning tickets at the business where the machine is located.
• The machines are able to build up credit, but cash prizes must be obtained from a store clerk.
TouchPlay machines are located in convenience stores, bars, restaurants, fraternal clubs and other locations where play can be monitored by an attendant to assure no under-age players use the machines.
The TouchPlay machines in Iowa are manufactured by Diamond Game Enterprises Inc. of Chatsworth, Calif. and Oasis Gaming of Omaha, Neb.
Ticket price: Games prices range from 25 cents to $1.
Prizes: Prizes range from $1 to $600.
If you are a retailer interested in placing a machine in your store, click here.
Overall odds:??
http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4450205&nav=2HAB
TouchPlay Wars
Des Moines, February 2, 2006 - A war of words at the statehouse...were lawmakers duped and should the lottery boss get fired? Lawmakers chastized lottery head Ed Stanek at a statehouse hearing today. They say Stanek misled them. They didn't know TouchPlays would end up on almost every corner bar and grocery store in Iowa.
Forget the tens of millions Ed Stanek makes for Iowa his critics say. The house speaker said "Stanek is misleading members of the general assembly." He also said that the Iowa lottery has lost its credibility, and that Stanek has lost the confidence of Rants. The speaker says Stanek even admitted he didn't know how much TouchPlays had spread. Stanek first told them he'd cap the games at 4,000 in Iowa. Then he said 7,000. He failed to realize businesses already made room for more than 10,000. Rants would strip Stanek of his power. He'd make the commission that oversees casinos also oversee the lottery.
The governor says the same group can't watch over competitors. "I think the lottery has the reputation of being the most well managed, effectively managed and honestly managed games in the country."
The Iowa TouchPlay coalition also came to Stanek's defense. The group said, "To say the Iowa lottery authority tried to pull a fast one is ridiculous."
Stanek defended his honor and acknowledged his criticism. He says, "We have the run the lottery in an open and honest fashion."
Speaker Rants say he'll lead efforts here to put the lottery under the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Former Commission head Mike Mahaffey told Channel 13 tonight that would put the future of Stanek's job in the commission's hands. That commission could also have a huge say in how many or any TouchPlays stay in Iowa.
If Nussle really wanted to do something...
He'd take the amount of $$ donated by the Krause family - and give it to the Gambling Treatment program.
Those Touchplay things are really an easy way to tax the stupid.
Frankly, now that I've read all that, I'm even less concerned about those machines. They sound like harmless fun for adults who get off on that sort of thing. I don't, but, to each his own.
Probably ought to keep them out of convenience stores, schools, and daycare kennels, though. In fact, perhaps this is one instance where a 2000' restriction might actually do some good ...
A large part of a lotto ticket is taxes and the money from that and touchplay goes to funding things that would otherwise be funded by taxes.
Until someone can come up with a better way to get money out of the great unwashed, I am all for gambling and touchplay machines.
See post #12.
When you have these machines at a convience store or gas station, it is hard to keep children away. Cashiers are not babysitters. I have heard people go in and play for hours, letting their children run in the store. It's the casino without having to get a babysitter. Yes, I play the Touchplays....but slot machines belong in a casino, not a store. This was not thought through properly. The casinos would not exsist with the people voting it in...the people never got a voice in this.....
Because, from what I've heard, the Touchplays dispense lottery tickets, not cash; thus, they're nothing more than the lottery's latest marketing gimmick.
Touchplays dispense the same type of ticket you get at the casino, you redeem them with the clerk for cash...sure look like slot machines to me.
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