Debate: Beach to Vote No, Rogers Yes on Casino Gambling

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second of several stories from the state Senate District 21 candidates' debate sponsored by the North Fulton & Friends Tea Party, and held at the Crooked Creek HOA Clubhouse on July 10. Each will be accompanied by video with more complete remarks by the two men.

Candidates for state Senate District 21 are on opposite sides of the casino gambling question being posed on the Republican Primary ballot.

Brandon Beach said he will vote "No" to casino gambling, while Chip Rogers plans to vote "Yes."

Ballot Question: Should Georgia have casino gambling with funds going to education?

Rogers said he would not stand in the way of a developer taking advantage of existing Georgia Lottery system to build a video gaming casino in the state.

"If people earn money and they want to spend it in a way that doesn't violate somebody's rights, it's none of my business," he said. "So if somebody wants to come in and make a development, and the free market can continue to support it, let the free market continue to support it."

Beach, on the other hand, opposed video gaming.

"I don't think we need video gambling. I'm not against gambling, but I don't think we need to have that in our state," he said.

If the states does have gambling, Beach said it should be "full" gambling, including blackjack, craps and other games.

"I think that the video gambling preys on the sector of our society that can least afford to be there," he said.

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