N.Y. Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law § 1300: Legislative findings and purpose

§ 1300. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds

and declares that:

1. New York state is already in the business of gambling with nine

video lottery facilities, five tribal class III casinos, and three

tribal class II facilities;

2. New York state has more electronic gaming machines than any state

in the Northeast or Mideast;

3. While gambling already exists throughout the state, the state does

not fully capitalize on the economic development potential of legalized

gambling;

4. The state should authorize four destination resort casinos in

upstate New York;

5. Four upstate casinos can boost economic development, create

thousands of well-paying jobs and provide added revenue to the state;

6. The upstate tourism industry constitutes a critical component of

our state's economic infrastructure and that four upstate casinos will

attract non-New York residents and bring downstate New Yorkers to

upstate;

7. The casino sites and the licensed owners shall be selected on

merit;

8. Local impact of the casino sites will be considered in the casino

evaluation process;

9. Revenue realized from casinos shall be utilized to increase support

for education beyond that of the state's education formulae and to

provide real property tax relief to localities;

10. Casinos will be tightly and strictly regulated by the commission

to guarantee public confidence and trust in the credibility and

integrity of all casino gambling in the state and to prevent organized

crime from any involvement in the casino industry;

11. The need for strict state controls extends to regulation of all

persons, locations, practices and associations related to the operation

of licensed enterprises and all related service industries as provided

in this article;

12. The state and the casinos will develop programs and resources to

combat compulsive and problem gambling;

13. The state will ensure that host municipalities of casinos are

provided with funding to limit any potential adverse impacts of casinos;

14. As thoroughly and pervasively regulated by the state, four upstate

casinos will work to the betterment of all New York.