§ 1300. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature hereby finds and declares that:

1. New York state is already in the business of gambling with nine video lottery facilities, five tribal class III casinos, and three tribal class II facilities;

2. New York state has more electronic gaming machines than any state in the Northeast or Mideast;

3. While gambling already exists throughout the state, the state does not fully capitalize on the economic development potential of legalized gambling;

4. The state should authorize four destination resort casinos in upstate New York;

5. Four upstate casinos can boost economic development, create thousands of well-paying jobs and provide added revenue to the state;

6. The upstate tourism industry constitutes a critical component of our state's economic infrastructure and that four upstate casinos will attract non-New York residents and bring downstate New Yorkers to upstate;

7. The casino sites and the licensed owners shall be selected on merit;

8. Local impact of the casino sites will be considered in the casino evaluation process;

9. Revenue realized from casinos shall be utilized to increase support for education beyond that of the state's education formulae and to provide real property tax relief to localities;

10. Casinos will be tightly and strictly regulated by the commission to guarantee public confidence and trust in the credibility and integrity of all casino gambling in the state and to prevent organized crime from any involvement in the casino industry;

11. The need for strict state controls extends to regulation of all persons, locations, practices and associations related to the operation of licensed enterprises and all related service industries as provided in this article;

12. The state and the casinos will develop programs and resources to combat compulsive and problem gambling;

13. The state will ensure that host municipalities of casinos are provided with funding to limit any potential adverse impacts of casinos;

14. As thoroughly and pervasively regulated by the state, four upstate casinos will work to the betterment of all New York.