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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Oregon shooter showed little sympathy in calculated killings ... Pastor's sermon: "Violence will not have the last word" ... Our View: Gun lobby's influence exceeds its support ... Oregon shooter showed little sympathy in calculated killings ... Pastor's sermon: "Violence will not have the last word" ... Our View: Gun lobby's influence exceeds its support ... OUR VIEW Our View: If it looks like a casino, it probably is one Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News The Oregon Constitution says only Indian tribes may operate casinos, but an audit of Oregon Lottery retailers suggests many "deli" operations with video poker machines are really casinos in disguise. This won't come as a surprise to anyone who patronizes a Purple Parrot or a similar storefront establishment in Medford. State lottery officials could crack down on them, but haven't done so, and one Oregon lawmaker said strict enforcement of the rules could cost the state budget $82 million a year. In an audit released last week, the Secretary of State's Office reported many lottery outlets known as "Limited Menu Retailers" actually earn more than half their income from lottery machines, and the food they offer may consist of such items as microwave burritos. Some outlets even count free food given to customers as food sales. Those outlets account for more than 20 percent of state lottery income, even though they have only 11 percent of the state's gambling machines. The constitution does not define casinos, and the state audit recommends that the Legislature create a definition and enforce it. The lottery changed its inspection methods this year, and inspectors no longer examine retailers' books to determine what percentage of their income is from gambling. Instead, they do a visual inspection, to see if an establishment "looks like a casino." A bill that would have defined lottery-dependent retailers as casinos, in effect declaring them illegal, died in the Legislature this year. Once again, Oregon's love-hate relationship with gambling prevented meaningful reform. No one likes the idea of preying on gamblers, especially low-income Oregonians, to make a buck, but lawmakers don't want to give up income for the state budget, either. Opponents of a casino proposed for Medford by the Coquille Indian Tribe have argued it would simply put Purple Parrots and other "delis" out of business, erasing any net gain in jobs. That's a reasonable argument. On the other hand, at least the gambling would be taking place in an establishment honest enough to call itself a casino. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501