Wisconsin’s Tavern Industry in the Spotlight
As preparations were underway for last month’s successful Tavern League convention, I received an email from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. They were planning a story about various types of gaming that exist as part of the tavern culture in Wisconsin and wanted our input.
The paper ran a three-part series. They are linked here, though they may be paywalled: one involved video games, one on meat raffles and other raffles, and the last involved pull tabs and milk tabs.
Long story short…gambling laws in the state make the legality of many of the gaming activities throughout the state-including those in taverns-questionable and confusing.
Of course, with video gaming machines, fines were reduced dramatically for Class B establishments decades ago. The rationale was sound. These establishments provide controlled environments where it is much more difficult for underage people to access the machines and potentially gamble. That’s why the state prioritizes enforcement at locations such as stores and hotels—places with fewer restrictions and where penalties are much more severe.
Most of this isn’t news to folks in the tavern industry. The point here is that we remain under a microscope. Laws that affect the industry and enforcement of those laws are closely scrutinized. Bad actors can jeopardize the delicate balance that allows the current status of gaming activities to continue. One article noted someone’s complaint that a Milwaukee area tavern refused to pay out a winner. Those types of situations affect everyone by casting these games in a bad light and that’s why the industry needs to continue to police itself and not wait for the authorities to act.
The spotlight will continue to shine on the industry in the coming days as well, as the legislature takes up a bill to regulate THC products through taxes and enforcement mechanisms that will treat THC drinks and gummies much like the state treats alcohol. The concept is a popular one. One poll found that well over half of state residents support regulating and taxing THC products much like it does alcohol. A fringe minority exists on both sides of the issue, with some wanting an outright ban on the products, and others wanting the current practice of no enforceable regulations at all. Neither position is tenable. On the one hand, the market is now proliferated with these products and at this point there’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. On the other hand, current laws are unenforceable, and officials can’t even keep THC products out of our schools. Many now feel that something needs to be done.
The Tavern League supports a bill authored by Representative Robert Swearingen to provide reasonable regulations on THC products. We are not the driving force behind the regulations, and we don’t have a position on the broader issue of marijuana legalization. However, we do want to make sure tavern owners can safely sell these products if they choose to do so. We support age restrictions and reasonable regulations that promote individual responsibility and public safety. Among other things, this bill would impose an age restriction of 21 and limit the amount of THC that could be added to drinks and gummies. It would also conform to the public’s wishes by ensuring THC products are regulated similarly to alcohol.
Once again, we thank Representative Swearingen for his leadership in taking on a tough issue and working with all sides to come up with a reasonable framework for regulation with this fast-growing industry.
The tavern industry, and the Tavern League of Wisconsin in particular, is likely to receive a lot of scrutiny while the legislation is being considered. The tavern industry is often a lightning rod when the topic of intoxicating products comes up. Some people want to claim that we’re trying to take over the THC industry. They’re just wrong.
We are in the retail alcohol business, and that is the industry where we remain focused. Despite that focus we inevitably, from time to time get pulled into other issues that affect our industry, and the issues of gaming and THC are two examples. Yet our goals are consistent regardless of the issue. We want to protect our members and promote our industry. We do that by supporting common sense regulations and pushing back against misconceptions and overreach. We’re effective because there is strength in numbers. But we’re also effective on these issues because our views are consistent with how the public views them as well.