In Iowa, for example, the state requires casinos to distribute at least three percent of their revenues with charitable groups the statewide casino average is 4.1 percent, but in Greene County, Grow Greene County Gaming Corp. In some states, charitable giving is built into the law, though municipalities can use the law as a starting point for negotiating a better deal. There’s often lots of surprising takers for casino charitable giving for example, the historically strait-laced, Christian mission-oriented Salvation Army, whose Christmas kettle outside a Stop & Shop supermarket in Norwich, Connecticut is being sponsored by the Mohegan Sun casino. For example, Ohio’s newest casino, the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park, is planning a “ controlled demonstration” of its operations for the Ohio Lottery Commission a few days before it officially opens, with all of the proceeds going to charity, particularly the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. Because there are any number of social ills associated with people spending their paychecks or Social Security checks depositing their money in slot machines and video lottery terminals, casinos often cast a careful public relations eye toward ensuring that charities get something from their operations.
