Catholic bishops have issued a stern warning about the potential consequences if Kentucky lawmakers approve a proposal to legalize casinos. Catholic Conference of Kentucky executive director Patrick Delahanty distributed a letter to state senators today detailing the concerns of the state's four Bishops who represent some 400,000 parishioners in the state.
“A lot of this opposition is for us is because this is not a reliable source of income, it’s regressive in nature, and we need to find better ways to meet the needs of Kentuckians," Delahanty said.
Delahanty says casinos would be especially harmful to the poor who often turn to casinos in hopes of solving their financial problems. Gambling opponents are working feverishly to defeat Governor Beshear's proposal for a constitutional amendment that would allow up to seven casinos to open in the state. That proposal could be voted on in a Senate Committee Wednesday.