STATE HOUSE–Every county is required to have a veteran service officer. But, not every county has enough money. So, the state legislature may be looking at allowing video gaming to help pay for it.

“We are trying to license video gaming terminals in our Congressionally-chartered veterans organizations only,” said Lisa Wilken, a veterans advocate, talking to Indy Politics. “We thought, surely if our legislators will pass sports gaming, they will pass charitable gaming for veterans serving veterans.”

She pointed out that there’s a difference between gaming and charitable gaming. She said one third of the money generated will go to the state to fund the veterans service officers. One third will go to the operators. The final third stays in the community to help veteran causes.

Wilken said it’s not an expansion of gaming, nor is it an expansion of normal video gaming.

If other organizations want to try and get gaming passed for themselves, Wilken said it’s up to them to try, but the bill they are presenting makes specific note that it is charitable and would be inside Congressionally-chartered veterans organizations like the American Legion or VFW.

“The reason our organizations are looking to implement video gaming terminals is to help self-fund our veterans initiatives,” said Wilken.

 

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash