Anti-gambling petition drive underway in Oklahoma

The drive to overturn a gambling bill signed last month by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry is starting to heat up. <br><br>The bill would let Indian tribes and horse tracks expand their gambling operations

Thursday, April 29th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The drive to overturn a gambling bill signed last month by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry is starting to heat up.

The bill would let Indian tribes and horse tracks expand their gambling operations - and divert part of the take for the state's budget. But church groups are taking a gamble, hoping that most voters oppose the bill.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says it wouldn't be the first time the gambling issue was on the ballot - but for church groups - it's an unusual strategy of pushing for a vote - with the hope that Oklahomans want to limit gambling.

The church groups are led by Southern Baptists - who started the drive this week. Besides big rallies in Oklahoma City and Tulsa - Baptists are using the Internet to train the people who will collect the signatures. Pastor Lonnie Latham, South Tulsa Baptist Church: â€œThe petition would be to allow the states people to vote on whether or not they want this kind of casino gambling in the state."

It's hard to imagine gambling could expand. Dozens of tribal casinos take in millions each month already. The new law, State Senate Bill 553 [.pdf file], would give tribes more freedom to expand but cut the state in on the action.

Three horse tracks - two of which the tribe own - could start offering games too in the name of saving horse racing.

The group â€œOklahomans for Good Governmentâ€ believes politicians caved in to special interests and passed a law that most people really won't support. They remember the 1994 lottery vote - that failed with 60% opposed - and the 1998 casino gambling vote that failed with 70% opposed. Those came to a vote through initiative petitions - the same way this vote might be used to reverse the new law.

The church groups - led by Southern Baptists - need 51,000 signatures to force the vote. Latham: â€œWe're hoping that we can gather not only 51,000 names but also many more who will see this as the moral issue that it is that what we want to do is help families not hurt them, to bless them, not rob them.â€