Prop.1 Backer Profited from Internet Gambling

LANSING, Michigan – (PRESS RELEASE) -- One of the largest financial backers of Proposal 1 profited off of Internet gambling as late as 2003, according to a Detroit Free Press article at the time. The backer, MGM- Mirage, is one of the entities pumping millions of dollars into false and misleading television advertisements accusing opponents of the ballot measure of wanting to bring Internet gambling to Michigan.

"This is the height of hypocrisy," said Kelly Rossman-McKinney, spokesperson for NO CasiNO MoNOpoly - Vote NO on Proposal 1. "This is the same company that has spent millions of dollars on advertisements accusing the governor and other leaders of wanting to bring Internet gambling to Michigan. The truth is that MGM-Mirage profited off of Internet gambling in the past, and a company spokesperson says it plans to do so in the future."

MGM-Mirage, parent company of Detroit's MGM-Grand Casino and one of the single-largest contributors to the Let Voters Decide - Yes! campaign, conducted Internet gambling until June 30, 2003, the Detroit Free Press reported in an article published on June 6, 2003.

Furthermore, the article quoted an MGM spokesperson saying the casino would restart its gambling enterprise when "this activity will be legalized."

Under Michigan and federal law, Internet gambling is illegal, so, too, is it illegal in Michigan to use a computer to place a wager. Despite this common knowledge, MGM and its campaign have persisted with false television advertisements against NO CasiNO MoNOpoly - Vote NO on Proposal 1, claiming its broad coalition of supporters want to bring Internet gambling to Michigan.

"Not only should MGM-Mirage and its campaign, Let Voters Decide - Yes!, pull their latest defamatory and erroneous ads off the air, they should apologize to the governor, elected officials and Michigan voters for knowingly and purposely misleading them," Rossman-McKinney said.

"The only people who want to bring back Internet gambling, it appears, is MGM," Rossman-McKinney added. "People across Michigan are stepping up to oppose Proposal 1 because it threatens more than $600 million a year in public school funding. Proposal 1 isn't about protecting voters, it's about protecting casinos' profits -- period."

Supporters of Proposal 1 have raised and spent $13.3 million to fund their campaign war chest, with more than $5.3 million coming from MGM. The Saginaw Band of Chippewa Indians has pumped in $6.02 million of that total.