Gambling flourishing after decade in New Mexico

By: Associated Press (AP) - After a decade, gambling in New Mexico is flourishing. The state has Las Vegas-style slots, blackjack and poker at 15 Indian casinos. There are 1,100 outlets selling lottery tickets, five tracks offering horse racing and slots, and more than 60 veterans and fraternal clubs where gambling is allowed. That’s according to an Albuquerque Journal report Sunday. Next month marks a decade since the first state-tribal agreements to legalize American Indian casinos were signed. This year, an estimated $3.9 billion will be wagered in the state. Former Governor Johnson signed the historic gambling legislation in the 1990s. He says gambling is a wash because a lot of people are adversely affected by gambling, but American Indians are benefiting. Tribes, pueblos see benefit of gambling in state Millions of dollars flowing through tribal casinos are building sewer and water systems, new schools, clinics and new homes for New Mexico’s gaming tribes. Charlie Dorame, chairman of the New Mexico Indian Gaming Association, says his pueblo, Tesuque, has spent more than $20 million in casino profits on infrastructure in the last few years. Sandia Governor Stuwart Paisano says their native language, Tiwa, was dying, but now it’s being taught to 100 percent of the children beginning in preschool. Ron Lovato is San Juan Pueblo’s development director. He says casino profits have been used to hook up about 95 percent of the homes into a sewer system. Indian casinos and racetracks also employ about 10,000 people. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)