Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.
Beginning Jan. 1, the minimum age for people allowed to gamble at the casino will be raised from 18 to 21.
The decision was made in part because of a recent agreement between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which owns the 175,000-square video gambling and entertainment complex, and the state of North Carolina.
The agreement, actually a set of amendments to the 1994 tribe-state gambling compact, will allow the Eastern Band to enlarge its casino and raises the limit on jackpots.
The deal still awaits federal approval.
Tribal leaders said they suggested the gambling age be raised because they were concerned that students from nearby Western Carolina University in Cullowhee could become reckless with their college money and lose it at the casino.
"Given the close proximity to the university, we didn't want to have any concerns that students were spending their education money here," said Patrick Lambert, executive director of the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission.
"We try to head off problems where we can. We just didn't want there to be any concern about that."
Casino employees who now are under age 21 will be allowed to retain their jobs, but if they leave, they can be rehired only in non-gaming support positions, Lambert added.
Western Carolina University leaders welcome the change, even though they say they haven't had many problems with students losing huge amounts of money at the casino.
"I have heard that there certainly are students who frequent the casino, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't caused a major problem," said Gene McAbee, WCU's director of public safety.
He said his department did serve a warrant on a student charged last year with damaging a video gambling machine in anger. McAbee said he is also aware of a handful of students who have had trouble battling the compulsion to gamble.
Bill Haggard, the university's associate vice chancellor for student affairs, said his office has received no specific reports of students being addicted to gambling or losing essential education funds at the casino.
"I'm sure there's probably been a couple, but it's not an issue that our students have brought to our attention," he said.
Casino spokesman Marsha Cameron said younger players, including college students, tend not to be big spenders.
"I know that the under 21 crowd certainly doesn't amount to much when it concerns our revenue," she said. "The amount of revenue we get from the 18-to-21 crowd is just minuscule."
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