Across Oregon, delis that seem to specialize in lottery more than lunch pose a dilemma.
The businesses generate profits to the owners and the Oregon Lottery, supplying an increasingly vital portion of the state general-fund budget. But critics say these establishments cause more social ills and violate a state constitutional prohibition of lottery casinos.
"These are casinos doing business under the guise of being a restaurant, a tavern," said David Leslie, executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, a coalition of 17 Christian congregations.
The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that a handful of video poker terminals at a neighborhood tavern or deli don't constitute a casino unless gambling was the "dominant use or dominant purpose" of the business.
But the definition leaves lots of wiggle room, and lottery director Dale Penn is trying to make the rules firm. His proposal, which was discussed at a public hearing in Salem on Tuesday, says lottery retailers must not generate more than half their revenue from gambling.
He also proposes expanded criteria to evaluate whether a business is a casino: How does it advertise? Does it offer a full menu, or just one or two sandwiches? What's its name? (One Portland establishment is called Nick's Double Up Deli).
A few residents showed up at lottery headquarters for the hearing. One was Jim Sterup of Salem, who said he worked for 20 years as a craps-table pit boss in Reno, Nev., and Atlantic City, N.J. Sterup asked lottery officials to curb "hole-in-the-wall" lottery delis, where state lottery terminals are the main form of business.
"I believe that everyone understands that we have let casinos operate in the state of Oregon and we need to correct that situation," Sterup said.
Two interest groups submitted comments. The Oregon Restaurant Association, which represents lottery retailers, endorsed the proposed rules. Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon said the rules give too much discretion to the lottery director.
The new place that I got to for lottery is run like a casino. It has free coffee and soda if you are their playing the games. Such as keno or the VLT's and they have a menu for food to buy. So I guess it would fit the bill as one of these type of lotto casino's.-weshar75
"Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon said the rules give too much discretion to the lottery director".
Now if that ain't calling the kettle black, I don't know what would...! If you ask me the "ministries" ought to put there own nose in their own buisness, instead of everyone else's .These deli owners aren't telling the ministries how to run theirs are they? Or maybe they should...!
Quote: Originally posted by johnph77 on Jan 27, 2007
And Oregon has video Keno - wonder if the lottery delis offer this game as well.....
The deli I go to here in Eugene has 6 video lottery terminals, 16 different scratch-its in various denominations, Keno every 4 minutes, and a lottery terminal for all the online games Oregon has like Megabucks, Lucky lines, Powerball, Pick4, Win for life, Keno.-weshar75
Quote: Originally posted by weshar75 on Jan 27, 2007
The deli I go to here in Eugene has 6 video lottery terminals, 16 different scratch-its in various denominations, Keno every 4 minutes, and a lottery terminal for all the online games Oregon has like Megabucks, Lucky lines, Powerball, Pick4, Win for life, Keno.-weshar75
ty, weshar75 - I'll have to look into that next time I get up that way.
The new place that I got to for lottery is run like a casino. It has free coffee and soda if you are their playing the games. Such as keno or the VLT's and they have a menu for food to buy. So I guess it would fit the bill as one of these type of lotto casino's.-weshar75
Cool !!
If we look behind the proverbial curtain, would we see Tony Soprano ?
Maybe Paulie or Christopher or perhaps even Sylvio Dante ?
"Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon said the rules give too much discretion to the lottery director".
Now if that ain't calling the kettle black, I don't know what would...! If you ask me the "ministries" ought to put there own nose in their own buisness, instead of everyone else's .These deli owners aren't telling the ministries how to run theirs are they? Or maybe they should...!
And Oregon has video Keno - wonder if the lottery delis offer this game as well.....
The deli I go to here in Eugene has 6 video lottery terminals, 16 different scratch-its in various denominations, Keno every 4 minutes, and a lottery terminal for all the online games Oregon has like Megabucks, Lucky lines, Powerball, Pick4, Win for life, Keno.-weshar75
ty, weshar75 - I'll have to look into that next time I get up that way.
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