The Guam Greyhound Race Track is betting on residents to allow slot machines at the Tamuning business. They need 4,959 signatures on a proposal to ensure that a slot machine initiative ends up on the November General Decision Ballot for 2006. They don’t necessarily want to bring slot machine gambling to everyone, as they are trying to get exclusivity with the proposal.

Their opponents believe that as the Guam Track is marketing itself to seem as if they are trying to do this for the better good, the residents need to see that this really is only a way for the track to get more money, not for the rest of Guam to benefit from it.  One of the other casino’s chairpersons, Jackie Marati, feels it is nothing more than a con. She claims that the initiative proposes only 10% of the net proceeds from the slot machines would go to health and education, with the other 90% going to the owners of the company.  The proposal states that the slots would be legalized for only that track, and that it would be regulated by the Department of Revenue and Taxation.

The owners, in an attempt to gain enough signatures, have offered $5 per signature collected to the people who are canvassing the local areas. Marati feels that no gambling of any kind should be allowed on the island, especially where the Greyhound track is, considering it is in an area near a church and several schools.

Archbishop Anthony Apuron is praying that his parishioners and island residents don’t sign the petition. The Catholic leader reminds residents that they have already said no to gambling, and reminded them of the evil nature of the slot machine initiative.

Back to July Archive or Slot Machines