As reported by: Anchorage Daily News
Republican leaders of the state House are pushing ahead on video poker and a state lottery and are pointing to a new poll as evidence that Alaskans are interested in more gambling.

"This latest poll shows that Alaskans have basically changed their attitude," said House Speaker Pete Kott, a Republican from Eagle River.

But less than half the people surveyed by the recent poll supported video gambling initially. It was only after the pollster read them pro-gambling information that support for video gambling jumped to almost 60 percent.

"They're just using false information to get the answer that they'd like," said Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford, an anti-gambling advocate.

The gambling debate tied legislators in knots last spring. Proponents said it would help with the state's budget problems without taxes or tapping the Permanent Fund. Opponents argued it would bring on expensive social ills.

Kott and Anchorage Republican Rep. Mike Hawker, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, are touting the poll to bolster their arguments that lawmakers should consider gambling expansion.

Crawford said the poll is "the first volley" from gambling advocates looking to get it through the Legislature this winter.

The Alaska Cabaret, Hotel and Restaurant Retailers Association, which includes bars that would benefit from video poker, paid for the poll. CHARR headquarters did not have details on the cost Wednesday. It was done by Ivan Moore Research of Anchorage.

Kott said he has conducted polls in his own district that showed less than half of the people wanted more gambling. But the new poll shows 67 percent of Alaskans favor a lottery. And, the way Kott reads the results, more than half want video poker, he said.

The telephone poll asked people twice if they support "legalizing electronic gaming," which means video poker or other games. The first time, about 45 percent of those polled supported it strongly or at least mildly.

But the second time that the question was asked, the level of support for electronic gaming jumped to 59 percent. Why the dramatic change?

In between the two questions the pollster gave the respondents favorable information about the video gambling proposal.

"First you ask it in a fair and balanced way that gauges public support," said Ivan Moore, whose firm conducted the poll. "Then you provide the information that is designed to be pro-electronic gaming, and then measure the extent to which the support increased."

Some of the gaming information is not in dispute: That video gambling machines would be in places like bars, which are off limits to minors, for example.

But then the pollster gave this controversial statement:

"Experience in other states has shown electronic gaming to be an effective, efficient method of generating revenue, with a minimum of social problems."

That's wrong, said Crawford, the Anchorage Democratic legislator. He came to Alaska from Louisiana where, he said, video gambling has been an addictive scourge that costs more in social problems than it brings in as revenue.

But Anchorage bar owner Frank Dahl of CHARR stands behind the statement after talking with officials in gambling states like Oregon and South Dakota. Kott said he has heard similar positive assessments from legislators in other gambling states.

Also, some of the proceeds from the gambling could be used to battle addiction, Kott said.

The pollster also told respondents that video gambling could raise "upwards of $100 million to the state." Alaska bar owners claim that it could, based on Oregon's experience. But Alaska state officials predict that it would be more like $30 million.

The state projects that a lottery might bring in $1.3 million to $6.3 million each year. Kott said he thinks it would be more.

Alaska's recurring budget shortfall runs in the hundreds of millions each year.

The telephone poll included responses from 468 Alaskans from around the state.

Pollster Moore said he thinks the results show "a fairly significant and some might say fairly surprising" level of support for expanding gambling in Alaska, especially through a state lottery.

But Crawford said that Alaska would have to be part of a multistate Powerball lottery, which he said would suck money from the Alaska economy. It's also a "tax on the desperate," he said.

"I don't think that a lottery or video poker law is going to go anywhere" in the Legislature,' he said. "There is a big coalition of people amassing to fight this."

Proposals for gambling expansion, especially video poker, could face a tough time in the state Senate. Anchorage Republican Sen. Con Bunde said he has to be convinced the benefits beat the costs.

"I'm guessing that the majority of other senators are not greatly enthusiastic," said Bunde, who held gambling hearings last month.