California welfare cards can be used in many casino ATMs (1 Viewer)

[VanceMack]

Great use of tax dollars...

California welfare cards can be used in many casino ATMs - latimes.com

"Reporting from Sacramento — California welfare recipients are able to use state-issued debit cards to withdraw cash on gaming floors in more than half of the casinos in the state, a Los Angeles Times review of records found.

The cards, provided by the Department of Social Services to help recipients feed and clothe their families, work in automated teller machines at 32 of 58 tribal casinos and 47 of 90 state-licensed poker rooms, the review found."

And hey...why not...its THEIRS...they should be able to use it how they want...

 

[Aunt Spiker]

This whole article is quackers - and right now a lot of people on benefits are hauling ass to the Casinos to give it a go, the month is almost up . . . they can slide.

"It is reprehensible that anyone would use taxpayer money for anything other than its intended purpose."

Oh my! Someone in government says this?
:rofl :rofl

 

[Goyboy]

Great use of tax dollars...

California welfare cards can be used in many casino ATMs - latimes.com

And hey...why not...its THEIRS...they should be able to use it how they want...

VanceMack, I hope you were being sarcastic.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

I sensed sarcasm.
But right now someone's going "DAMNIT - IF ONLY I KNEW SOONER!"
Funny thing is - they can likely run some checks to see who did it and who didn't. . . and thus nullify their benefits if they so choose.

 

[VanceMack]

VanceMack, I hope you were being sarcastic.

Sarcasm doesnt translate well...sarcasm doesnt translate well...I GOTTA remember that!!!

yeah...just a teensy bit.

(Damn...did it again!)

 

[Deuce]

It's a card that works in ATMs. Probably never occurred to anyone to program the system to reject the particular machines at the casinos.

 

[rathi]

I assume that all ATM's have standardized authentication mechanisms, so the cards should work in the Casino just like anywhere else. Its a problem that welfare people are going to the Casino at all, but that has nothing to with the cards or ATMs.

 

[VanceMack]

I assume that all ATM's have standardized authentication mechanisms, so the cards should work in the Casino just like anywhere else. Its a problem that welfare people are going to the Casino at all, but that has nothing to with the cards or ATMs.

Might make the program more acceptable if the money could only be spent at grocery stores or for rent/utility vouchers, huh?

 

[rathi]

Might make the program more acceptable if the money could only be spent at grocery stores or for rent/utility vouchers, huh?

There isn't a system in place to make that possible. The wasted overhead in trying to manually approve every transactions would cost more than it is worth.

 

[cholla]

It's a card that works in ATMs. Probably never occurred to anyone to program the system to reject the particular machines at the casinos.

Does that mean that we should not only pay for welfare, but that we should anticipate welfare fraud and counter act it? Why don't we just NOT give them welfare? I know I know,some people NEED the money. I think that presceening would be more effective than trying to close the barn door afterwards. Jees, do you wonder why people don't like welfare programs?

 

[jallman]

Great use of tax dollars...

California welfare cards can be used in many casino ATMs - latimes.com

"Reporting from Sacramento — California welfare recipients are able to use state-issued debit cards to withdraw cash on gaming floors in more than half of the casinos in the state, a Los Angeles Times review of records found.

The cards, provided by the Department of Social Services to help recipients feed and clothe their families, work in automated teller machines at 32 of 58 tribal casinos and 47 of 90 state-licensed poker rooms, the review found."

And hey...why not...its THEIRS...they should be able to use it how they want...

My guess is that the 79 ATMs in casinos that can authenticate the benefits cards are probably using the same back end processor and it happens to be compliant with the benefits carrier. Probably has nothing to do with casinos and welfare and more to do with the high probability that they both use the same one merchant link out of 7 or 8 to choose from.

 

[Dittohead not!]

I assume that all ATM's have standardized authentication mechanisms, so the cards should work in the Casino just like anywhere else. Its a problem that welfare people are going to the Casino at all, but that has nothing to with the cards or ATMs.

Yes, no doubt. Even if the state should somehow make it impossible for the welfare recipients to use their cards in casinos, what's to stop them from using them in regular ATMs, then taking the cash to the casino, or, for that matter, using it to buy drugs from their favorite dealer or booze at the liquor store?

People who are living on the largess of the rest of us shouldn't have that option. It would be much better to give them vouchers for rent and groceries, pay their power bill, and let them get a job if they want to be able to spend money the way they want. Welfare is not their money.

Morover, welfare should be a temporary hand up for people who have had a run of bad luck, not a way of life. Whatever happened to welfare reform?

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Well, I believe the way atm-machines and the like work is that each bank (thus card-source) has a code OR they have a source-reference . . . you can program your atm (or your merchant station, etc) to ignore certain codes/source references and accept others.

 

[Deuce]

Does that mean that we should not only pay for welfare, but that we should anticipate welfare fraud and counter act it? Why don't we just NOT give them welfare? I know I know,some people NEED the money. I think that presceening would be more effective than trying to close the barn door afterwards. Jees, do you wonder why people don't like welfare programs?

How about we just fix this error?

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Does that mean that we should not only pay for welfare, but that we should anticipate welfare fraud and counter act it? Why don't we just NOT give them welfare? I know I know,some people NEED the money. I think that presceening would be more effective than trying to close the barn door afterwards. Jees, do you wonder why people don't like welfare programs?

He's strongly considering the end - or extreme cutting - of the program. This didn't help but it's a good revelation.

I'm actually surprised that this only came to light because of research for a news-article and NOT from the state doing damage-control and investigating how all the money is spent.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

How about we just fix this error?

Yep, stop handing out atm cards that have the cash withdrawal feature.
Essentially make it a limited debit card at a few approved stores.

That probably won't happen though.

 

[jamesrage]

Great use of tax dollars...

California welfare cards can be used in many casino ATMs - latimes.com

"Reporting from Sacramento — California welfare recipients are able to use state-issued debit cards to withdraw cash on gaming floors in more than half of the casinos in the state, a Los Angeles Times review of records found.

The cards, provided by the Department of Social Services to help recipients feed and clothe their families, work in automated teller machines at 32 of 58 tribal casinos and 47 of 90 state-licensed poker rooms, the review found."

And hey...why not...its THEIRS...they should be able to use it how they want...

In Oklahoma they have whats called access cards, the only thing these cards can be used for is food and it takes a access card reader in order for the card to be used. Most people would have thought that California out of all states would have something like that instead of something that is basically a prepaid credit card.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

On a related note - the Dollar General in our town has a new sign that states "Energy Drinks like Red Bull and Monster can no longer be purchased with EBT" (EBT is food stamps)
:rofl

Why not candy, junk food, sodas, ice cream and cakes, too?

 

[Gabriel]

Umm who cares? You just gave out the biggest welfare payout by far to the banking industry.. so they can keep using their gambling machine. These cards may be used in casino atm's big freaking deal.. but is likely they need the money to pay their rent.

 

[justabubba]

Umm who cares? You just gave out the biggest welfare payout by far to the banking industry.. so they can keep using their gambling machine. These cards may be used in casino atm's big freaking deal.. but is likely they need the money to pay their rent.

excellent point. the American taxpayer DID cover the losses of the wealthy, not just in the USA, but worldwide ... and it's not like they did not lose their money gambling

 

[American]

This whole article is quackers - and right now a lot of people on benefits are hauling ass to the Casinos to give it a go, the month is almost up . . . they can slide.



Oh my! Someone in government says this?
:rofl :rofl

The govt does use tax dollars for their intended purpose. It's just that you have allowed them to decide all kinds of purposes outside the scope of the Constitution. Trust me, if Congress finds out you haven't used tax dollars the way they say to, they'll kick your ass.

 

[VanceMack]

There isn't a system in place to make that possible. The wasted overhead in trying to manually approve every transactions would cost more than it is worth.

Au contraire. Most states have limited places that accept their government support cards. Purchases are limited to food items (example-you cant purchase a pack of smokes with the card, but you can purchase a bag of potato chips). It would be very easy to limit use to grocery stores. No fast food joints, no malls, legit food purchases. No cash allowances or advances.

Its no wonder California runs a 60 billion dollar deficit with that kind of wreckless and careless social spending.

 

[VanceMack]

Yes, no doubt. Even if the state should somehow make it impossible for the welfare recipients to use their cards in casinos, what's to stop them from using them in regular ATMs, then taking the cash to the casino, or, for that matter, using it to buy drugs from their favorite dealer or booze at the liquor store?

People who are living on the largess of the rest of us shouldn't have that option. It would be much better to give them vouchers for rent and groceries, pay their power bill, and let them get a job if they want to be able to spend money the way they want. Welfare is not their money.

Morover, welfare should be a temporary hand up for people who have had a run of bad luck, not a way of life. Whatever happened to welfare reform?

To the point...their welfare cards shouldnt work in ANY ATMS there shouldnt be the ability to withdraw cash...in any circumstance.

 

[jamesrage]

Umm who cares? You just gave out the biggest welfare payout by far to the banking industry.. so they can keep using their gambling machine. These cards may be used in casino atm's big freaking deal.. but is likely they need the money to pay their rent.

The point of this thread is welfare fraud, not what is given out. Just because the waste on one level is significantly much smaller than the waste on another does not mean complaints about that waste are any less legitimate than the much larger waste.

 

[VanceMack]

Umm who cares? You just gave out the biggest welfare payout by far to the banking industry.. so they can keep using their gambling machine. These cards may be used in casino atm's big freaking deal.. but is likely they need the money to pay their rent.

WHen your state is 60 billion dollars in debt...the citizens of that state SHOULD care. Additionally...two wrongs dont make a right...they make really really WRONG.