Michigan Horse Racing Casino Issue Heating Up

While Ohio voters will decide the fate of casino gambling this November, Michigan residents may get their say on casinos at state horse tracks next year. That is because a group is starting to collect signatures in favor of casinos at the Michigan tracks.

Racing To Save Michigan gained approval for their petition on Wednesday from the Board of State Canvassers. The petitions are expected to start circulating around the state in the next couple of weeks.

The entire proposal involves eight casino licenses. Five of those licenses would go to Michigan horse racing tracks. In order for the proposal to be placed on the ballot, the group must submit at least 380,000 signatures.

"This is the first step in a process that could result in casino gambling at Michigan race tracks," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz, "If the people of Michigan react anything like residents of Ohio, then casino gambling could certainly become a reality at state tracks."

In Ohio, a group secured the necessary signatures to have a casino proposal put on the ballot next month. The proposal would bring four casinos to Ohio. Columbus, Toledo, Cleveland, and Cincinnati would all receive new casinos.

The issue is Ohio has been the topic of conversation for months. Recent polls suggest that for the first time in history, Ohio voters are in favor of bringing casinos to the state. The polls have varied slightly in results, but all show around a sixty percent approval rate for the casino proposal.

October 14, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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