NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMISSION

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Thank you. Thank you. And the Powerball winner was not one of the Commissioners. I've asked twice this morning and it's not the case, although some tried I understand.

I want to make note of the fact that our Research Subcommittee is meeting this morning and those members of that subcommittee will be joining the full Commission in just a few minutes. But in the interest of time and out of courtesy to our invited guests, we thought it was very important to go ahead with our meeting this morning.

Our first panel today will address the social impact of riverboat casinos, and I will take this opportunity to again inform each panelist that under the operating rules of the Commission, testimony before this Commission will be considered to be conducted under oath. Our speakers this morning include Chris Anderson, Executive Director of the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling; Mr. John Kindt, Professor of Commerce and Legal Policy at the University of Illinois; and Mr. Bill Eadington, Professor of Economics at the University of Nevada at Reno.

I understand there may be some slides this morning, and I will just ask the Commissioners if we can just go to the sides if necessary. These are very informal, and if you need to do that, that's just fine. I see that we are in fact being joined by our Research Subcommittee.