North Carolina Approves Bill to Ban Video Poker Machines

North Carolina's legislature on Monday approved a bill to ban video poker machines by next summer, a decision stalled for years as lawmakers disagreed whether losing industry jobs was worth a prohibition. The Senate voted 44-1 to accept a House plan approved last week that would gradually reduce the number of machines at any one location from three to none by July 1, 2007.

The Senate had approved an immediate ban five times since 2000, but decided to accept the compromise rather than risk another stalemate this year. Pressure for a ban increased this session after House Speaker Jim Black, who had thwarted such legislation for years, was linked to state and federal investigations of the video poker industry's political donations. The Senate's main proponent of a ban told his colleagues during the brief debate that the bill's passage exemplified how perseverance can pay off. The lone no vote was cast by Sen. Hugh Webster, R-Alamance, who said the ban essentially takes property away from machine owners.

June 7, 2006
Posted By Terry Goodwin
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