Kentucky Gov. rejects gaming as pension solution and names suicides as part of its societal costs

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin repeated and expanded on his opposition to legalizing expanded gaming during a Wednesday radio interview. He said suicides are part of the societal costs related to casino gambling, as he lashed out at his political opponent’s support for expanded gambling as a way to help fund pensions.

The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest gambling events in the world. Even so, lawmakers in the commonwealth can't agree on legalizing traditional casinos. Democrats have proposed that the revenue could pay for the state's ongoing pension crisis.

The Republican governor, speaking on WKDZ Radio in Cadiz, said those who support legalizing casinos and recreational marijuana to pay down the unfunded liability of the public pension plans need math lessons. “They are just not even close,” he said. “Anybody proposing those is either intentionally or unintentionally unaware of the math.”

Referring to expanded gaming, he claimed: “Every night, somewhere in America, somebody takes their life in a casino, because they’ve wasted the last semblance of dignity and hope that they had. Families are ruined, lives are ruined. There is a societal cost, and there is no political appetite for this in Kentucky.”

Even if there were no negatives with casino gambling, Bevin said the math doesn’t work there either. “The idea that we could make maybe $200 million a year with casino gambling taxes, means there are billions being spent that might better be spent somewhere else,” Bevin said. “If we all wanted to gamble and smoke pot at the same time, it would still be 200 years, just to earn the money we already owe today. These are not serious solutions.”

His Democratic opponent in November, Attorney General Andy Beshear, has often said he supports expanded gaming. During a candidate profile before the May Democratic primary, Beshear said: “Kentucky can’t afford to fall behind our neighboring states who are moving forward with the rest of the country on expanded gaming. We lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars a year. As governor, I will work to legalize sports betting, casinos, fantasy sports and prepare for online poker, and use the revenue from these activities as a dedicated funding stream for our public pension system.”

Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association (AGA), took issue with Bevin's statements calling them "patently false and irresponsible." “Our industry commits hundreds of millions of dollars a year to address the very serious issue of problem gambling, ensuring that patrons have the tools they need to engage in our offerings in a responsible manner," he said.

"From extensive responsible gaming training programs for our employees and proactive education for our consumers, to financial support for programs that ensure people who need help get it, our industry’s commitment is very clear,” he concluded.

While there are no casinos in the Bluegrass, there are other legal ways to gamble, including newly added betting machines at some racetracks. They can be found in places like Derby City Gaming in Louisville and Red Mile in Lexington. Churchill Downs and Keeneland are planning on building a new facilty in Oak Grove with 1,500 new instant-wagering machines.