Maine Legislators Consider Slot Gambling Expansion Once Again

When legislators do not receive the response they want from voters in their state, sometimes they decide that they need to take matters into their own hands. That is the case with slot machine gambling in the state of Maine.

Senator Bruce Bryant has proposed a Bill that would authorize the Maine Gaming Control Board to license up to 3,500 slot machines for new racetracks in the state. This comes after voters turned down recent attempts to bring slot gambling to Maine.

The new Bill, if approved, would not need voters to approve its existence. The Gaming Control Board would have the immediate right to license the slot machines. A federally recognized tribe would also be allowed to offer high stakes games as part of the Bill.

It is not that casino gambling is new to the state. Bangor's Hollywood Slots is currently the only racino in the state, something that Bryant and other legislators want changed. They are, however, receiving heavy opposition from anti-gambling groups.

There will be a public hearing on the Bill, but the time for that hearing has yet to be set. CasinosNo! Executive Director Dennis Bailey was quick and to the point when when speaking to Capitol News.

"Hearing Aids," he said were needed for Bryant. He was referring to the idea that Bailey has not listened to the people of Maine when they voted against any forms of expanded casino gambling outside of where it already exists.

April 15, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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