Mayor Turns Away Slot Machine Gambling In Arizona Airports

Airport slot machine gambling was supposed to be a way to increase revenue in the state of Arizona. It turns out that they will have to find another way to help out a struggling budget.

The Mayor of Phoenix was pushing to legalize slot machines at Sky Harbor International Airport. After coming up with the idea, he quickly changed his tune on Wednesday and decided not to pursue the issue.

Tribal leaders had expressed concern that slot machines in the airport could lead to expanded gambling in racetracks and bars. The Mayor agreed that bringing slot machines to the airport would possibly jeopardize what they have going with the tribes.

"Our partners have expressed significant concerns," said Mayor Phil Gordon. He still believes he will find alternative ways to increase revenue. "A lot of these ideas will be rejected, but a lot of them, I hope, will be able to be adopted."

The casino gambling topic is a tricky one in Arizona. The state is allowed to have casinos under a compact voted on in 2002. If, however, gambling was allowed at the airport, it could void the compact.

The compact currently calls for a limit on the number of casinos that could be opened by Indian tribes. It also limits the amounts of games they can offer. A breach of the compact could mean that the rules would no longer apply.

July 24, 2008
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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