Wisconsin Family Council published the “Wisconsin Cultural Indicators 2019 Edition” recently, and inside are startling statistics about the state.
“We are pleased to provide this important resource to lawmakers, educators, pastors and ministry leaders, community leaders and concerned citizens in Wisconsin,” said Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Council. “Wisconsin’s Cultural Indicators shows long-term trends affecting the social and economic health of Wisconsin’s families and children. When our families are strong, our state is strong. And the converse is certainly true, as well.”
From the report:
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, $16.35 billion was wagered at casinos on reservations in Wisconsin. For comparison purposes, that is equivalent to about $2,819 wagered per capita in the state of Wisconsin in the same year (most recent comparable data available). Between 2000 and 2017, the “handle” (amount casinos take in before expenses and before paying out winnings) increased 40 percent. The 2016 handle of $16.23 billion surpassed the previous record of $16.18 billion in 2007 for the first time after a lull following the recession years.
Twenty-four gaming sites are currently operated by eleven Wisconsin Indian tribes and bands across the state.
Research has found a relationship between the presence of casino gambling in a community and an increase in crime rates in that area. The study, published in a peer-reviewed journal, found that the opening of a casino in a county increased the total number of index crime arrests in that county (violent and non-violent) by 8.6 percent and non-index crime arrests by 14.8 percent. Researchers also found that crime increased in counties without a casino but that were adjacent to two other counties with a casino and high-crime rates.
