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New Mexico is strongly considering a very controversial piece of legislation.  Current law requires automated teller machines – ATMs – and slot machines to be in separate rooms.  As a matter of fact automated tellers are supposed to be outside of secure gambling areas. 

The new bill being considered in New Mexico would allow the two money machines to coexist in the same rooms.  Antigambling activists are outraged by the idea.  They are concerned that such legislation would only hurt those citizens that are predisposed to gambling addictions.  Under the current law, gamblers would at least have to leave the gambling area in order to attain more funds.

However, those supporting the bill have another group in mind.  Senator Richard Martinez, a Democrat from Espanola, thinks the bill would help out disabled gamblers, people for who it would be more than an inconvenience to travel to different areas of a gambling establishment to get more funds. 

“It is a matter of convenience, and convenience for handicapped patrons,” said Martinez.

Martinez also has his thoughts on competition from tribal casinos.  Indian casinos have no such laws about slot machines and ATM, making them significantly more convenient gambling locations than the non-tribal racetrack and casinos in New Mexico. 

Martinez explained to members of the Senate Public Affairs Committee that the new bill was not an effort to expand gambling, but it is more aimed at evening out the playing field for non-tribal gambling venues.

Opponents of the bill does not think that convenience for some out ways the danger that having ATMs next to slot machines poses to others.

The state will audit gambling revenues from the new slot machines to ensure that the profit is going into charitable programs run by these organizations.  Slot machines have always been the work horse that kept casinos in business.  Not-for-profit organizations should expect slot machines to be great fund raisers.
 

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