It took a long time, but Maryland has finally come around. Slots gaming is popular in many areas of the US and many businesses already use them to bulk up revenues. Maryland was lagging. The debate over slots gaming has been raging all over the world as of late. It is no secret that the games are high-performing and people love them. They love taking a shot at the games of luck and seeing if they can win something. Plus the games come in a wide range of variations in theme, wager requirement and payout. Regardless of you bankroll, you most likely are going to find a slots game that you can afford to wager on. You can’t say the same for a blackjack table or a poker game. These are games that come with higher wager buy-ins and that can prove to be a problem for some gamblers. Slots on the other hand are affordable for everyone.

Maryland officials are finally on board with that too. The voting public was left to make the final decision as to whether or not the games should be allowed into the market and in November of 2010 they spoke clearly. Slots were voted in by an overwhelming amount. Now, two months later, Ocean Downs officially opened the door to them. Governor Martin O’Malley, state officials, local delegates and the lotter commission chairman were all in attendance for the event. They spoke their approval of the moved and talked about how they were hoping the games would perform well for the gaming public. Then the ribbon was cut and visitors were allowed to take part in the 750-slot machine parlor. Immediately hundreds of gamers entered the facility and started taking their chances. The games cost anywhere from one-penny up to $5 per spin to wager on and this is part of the appeal. The gamers there showed how much people love to wager on slots and most likely this isn’t going to stop. This is the second location in Maryland where gamers can play slots and it is a great time for the state to take advantage of the games and how lucrative the are going to be.

One of the biggest divisions in the world of gambling is over games of skill versus games of chance. Pro gambling activists are trying to get games of skill set aside into a different category than regular gambling games. The theory is that to be a gambling game, the outcome has to come about via luck, and nothing else. This includes games like slots and roulette. These are the games that gamblers cannot affect in any way. All you have with the games is to hope for some luck and a good hand, or good numbers. On the other hand there are games of skill. These are the games that people are trying to get legally separated from the title of gambling. They aren’t reliant on luck solely. They have an element of luck, but are equally made up of luck and skill. You can practice the games and get better, thus increasing your wins. You have a hand in changing things and can learn how to win. These games of skill are the ones being targeted for debate.

Ohio is a state that brought that debate to its highest level and the Supreme Court has made a ruling. The courts decided that arcade games need to be limited in payout for wins. Back in 2007 the payouts were limited to $10 and now that is being upheld. The purpose of the move was to originally keep slots out of the market, but now a loophole is making that impossible to maintain. The people in the state have voice their opinions and as a whole, they don’t want slots games to be allowed. Ohio may veto that—they may work around the voters and push for slots to be brought into the market. Remember that gambling is a huge revenue maker and that means that governments have a hard time passing them up. The games traditionally can bring in millions of dollars any given month and that is money that Ohio needs. It could help to turn things around that much quicker in their market and bring the change the state needs to revive itself.

The debate over the Anne Arundel Mall casino is still going strong. Maryland is a state that is suffering financially—like most states in the US it has a long list of expenses and few options to cover them. They are looking to slot machine gaming as a means of facing the problem head on. In the future, the state is hoping to use gambling to shore up its state coffers. Right now the entire issue is in the hands of the voters though. Politicians would love to make the call, but that’s not how procedures work. In the mean time before the official vote, surveys have been taken to see where the issue falls with the public. Their opinion now before the vote, is a good sign of what is to come in the future. The most recent survey is showing that 47% of residents in the state support the slot machine plan and 45% are against it. That leaves 8% undecided. That 8% is crucial to both sides of the issue. And both sides are fighting hard for it. Now, like no other time opposing organizations are pulling out the big guns in terms of advertising. They want to sway that final faction and possibly change the minds of others. The time for heavy promotion and advertising is now and everyone involved is taking full advantage of that.

The whole issue rests on Question A, which is the referendum vote that is going to decide whether or not the slots plan is initiated. If the voters decide yes, then there will be a slot parlor approved for the Arundel Mills Mall area. That doesn’t mean that everything is fine though. Just because voters may ok the move, Laurel Park raceway still has some hurdles to cross before slot machines are approved. Right now Cordish Cos is waiting patiently for a final decision and hoping that the company can move in on building as soon as possible. It will inevitably take a lot of time for gamers to get into a Maryland casino in the Anne Arundel area, but once the vote is settled, it will make the final result’s fruition that much sooner.

In one Maryland location, it’s time to bring slot machines in. The state wants to bring the machines to Anne Arundel County and reap the benefits of the machines. Slots are highly lucrative and legislators of the state know it. Since the recession hampered any growth in the economy and helped to create huge deficits, states throughout the US are looking for money-generating ways to bring in cash. Slots are a great way since casinos for ages have been benefiting from the games. In fact, Las Vegas reported pre-recession that slot machines made up on average 60% of their total revenues. That’s a huge number for any business and it’s no wonder legislators are focused and trying to legalize and regulate slots gambling. They know how much money is at stake.
The US made a mistake in 2006. The UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, of 2006 was brought to the market as a means of regulating online gambling. Though it was meant to help, looking back many legislators are noting how much it hampered the US. Gamblers want to play online and when the US closed down online gambling, they made the move to offshore casinos. The problem here is that billions of dollars were channeled out of the country. The US lost billions of dollars by creating the UIGEA and by all counts, it was ineffective in stopping gambling.

A vote is coming up in Maryland. The state is gong to bring the slot machine issue up. The County Council is voting on a zoning bill that will either move the slot machine project forward or stop it immediately. The council is divided on the idea of bringing the slot machines to the location, and if it passes it would be the largest slot machine casino in the state. It would also be right by the mall and is expected to be up and running by late 2011. There is speculation that there will be illegal table a game if it comes to pass. But if it fails, the state will have to find another location for their slot machine casino, one that does not put it near the mall.

West Virginia is looking to expand its gambling. It already offers slot machines throughout the state and is benefiting from the vast possibilities for revenue the games offer. Now the state is trying to make a push for bringing table games in. The problem is that bringing them in hasn’t been as seamless as the state hoped. Various counties within the state left the decision of bring in table games to the voting public and they have voiced much opposition to the move.  It was a surprise for most legislators who thought that the voters would be much more supportive of the move. They believed that there would only be a small fraction of the state’s voters who denied the approval.

One victory for the state however was a recent vote that was taken in which residents allowed roulette wheels and craps tables along side slot machines at Charles Town Races and Slots. Voters said that one of the biggest draws for them was the ability to have around 500 more jobs come in, and they say that in this economy that this is really important. It seems that job creation is the most important impetus to allowing expansion of slots and other forms of gambling in general. People are also aware that the amount of money that the slot machines are already bringing in, and they know that there is much more to be made from the table games as well, so they were confident in making the decision that it was the right one for the state. The depressed economy was a major concern for the voting public and a major reason why they decided the way they did. Legislators were hoping for the positive reaction to slots and gambling.

The Jefferson County vote was about double the number of people voting for slots and gambling as voted against them. That means that a good majority of voters will support future efforts to bring gambling to the state. 2010 should be a prime year to watch the developments of gambling in West Virginia. It may be a good model for successfully bringing gambling to a state as a means of revenue generation.

Many states are debating what to do in terms of slots gaming. Eveyone wants to use it to bring in revenue. It’s a great way to create funds because of its popularity over the years. Even Las Vegas officials state that over 60% of their revenue comes from slots gaming. That’s a huge amount of revenue for any casino and states are eager to capitalize on the potential money avalable. The problem is that it’s a new legislation that is needed and no one is totally sure what is going to work. All the states know is that the UIGEA of 2006 failed. It was originally meant to stop illegal online gambling, but all it really did was spur online slots players into moving to offshore casinos and channeling millions of dollars out of the country.

Now that the UIGEA failed, many states are putting their legislators to the test to write new laws that make online gambling and slots play possible. Maryland is one of those states. The state took a vote and voters ruled that 15,000 slot machine would be allowed into the state at five different locations. The problem is that now, a year later, nothing much has been done to further the slots project along. Almost 60% of their residents wanted slot machines and yet they still don’t have them. When slot machines were approved the governor was very clear in that they did not want slot machines legalized and was unhappy with the turnout of the vote. Despite opposition, the people spoke and it ultimately was their decision. That is why many voters are not happy that no strides have been made. In particular because the vote was made into such a big deal prior to the decision, many voters expected it to be moved on quickly once accepted. They were looking to slots as a means of bringing much-needed funding into the state and to create jobs in the local area.

Now that nothing real has happened in terms of slots, voters are voicing their displeasure with the way legislators have handled the situation. Hopefully they will move in on bringing slots to the state soon and start reaping some of the benefits they advertised to the voting public a year ago.

Governor Ted Stickland of Ohio said that he made a mistake. In the days when he was pining for his political position, he stood on the platform that slot machines would not be brought to the state if he won. His original idea was that they were not useful to the state and would only bring in crime, corruption and money laundering. He took on a conservative stance with the machines and won the vote into office. Then, he changed his mind.

Once in office, he turned his decision around and said he would support slot machines after all. Voters questioned who they had voted into office and were arguing that he was dishonest in his intentions. Stickland, in his defense, said that though he did believe that slot machines were not the way to go, now that he is in office, he is worried that they state will not be able to make its budget without looking to the revenues that slots will generate. Post recession, the economy of the state is ravished, just as it is with most states. Deficits are high and there are few options to bring in money. The state is in financial trouble and like other jurisdictions, looking to gambling as a way out. Stickland confirmed that finances were his concern with the change. He said that gambling is the only way he sees to get the state out of the “hole” it is in. He reversed his position on the issue due to the budget problems and the fear that education would have to be majorly cut in funding without finding the revenue to sustain it. Add to that the harrowing unemployment rate of the state and the overall depressed economy, and it’s difficult to say no to the millions of potential dollars available through gambling, despite critics of the move.

The Supreme Court of Ohio, however, took issue with Stickland’s argument and overode is decison. It said that if he wanted to bring slots in, the people of the state would have to vote them in. Without their consent, it would be unfair to make the decision to legalize and regulate gambling within the state. In the future, a vote will have to be taken to make the final decision.

Critics of the November slots referendum are pointing their fingers at Maryland legislators. They believe that the estimated $1.3 billion revenue is “unattainable and ridiculous,” especially since it is $500 million more than a 2002 estimate. They believe that to get the vote for slot machines passed, legislators doctored the numbers citing a larger estimate that possible. Their ulterior motive was to sway peoples’ votes with the huge number and the estimate of how many jobs slot parlors would create for the economy.

In response, the legislature’s top fiscal adviser who supervised preparation of both sets of numbers said the current estimates “are in the reasonable zone” since legislative analysts know a lot more about the industry after studying it for five years. Chairman of Stop Slots Maryland, Aaron Meisner said, “The revenue estimates are significantly overstated, and this is largely political” to make slot machine gambling more palatable to voters. In 2002, a commission on the state’s finances said slots would generate $800 million based on 10,000 machines that would each take in $219 per day from bettors. Now, the legislature’s fiscal analysts say that 15,000 machines will generate $1.361 billion in 2013 — about $249 a day per machine. Where did the difference come from?”

Opponents are blaming politicians for having an overwhelming desire to bring slots to the state. They believe that the recession is what is the push. Meisner added, “They [the legislators] think this is easy money, but it isn’t. Nothing is free and the social ramifications of bringing slot machines to the state are not good.”  Meisner is referring to the claim that bringing slots to Maryland will bring added crime, addiction and unscrupulous business owners.  Part of the criticism is that with more slots available for gambling, people may more easily fall into addictions and the state is not readying itself to handle the larger need for addiction counselors.

Only time will tell whether or not slots parlors truly do have a negative affect on the community and how much damage it does. The debate continues, however, on how accurate the numbers were. Some believe that the higher numbers were just a political ploy to sway the voters the way they wanted them to go.

Making waves in the state of Ohio seems to be the norm for the group LetOhioVote.org.  The organization is the one that managed to successfully challenge Governor Ted Strickland’s former plan to increase the number of slot machines in the state. He thought his plan would go through potentially without a hitch, until LetOhioVote.org got into the mix. The organization is maintaining that Ohioans are the ones who should vote on the issue of whether or not slots should be used to fund state budget shortfalls. According to the Ohio Supreme Court the group has until December 18^th of this year to collect enough signatures on a petition that would allow the issue to become a referendum vote on the May 2010 ballot.  

Records are showing that it was mostly religious-based conservatives who signed the petition and effectively sidelined Stickland’s plan. He wanted to install lottery-run slots at seven Ohio horse racing tracks and then use the additional revenue to overcome an $850 million budget shortfall. It seemed like a logical option with the huge deficit in the budget for the new year. But the Ohio Supreme Court changed the plan when it said opponents can try to put the measure to a popular vote. Though Strickland thought his plan was a sure-fire hit, the non-profit organization LetOhioVote.org threw a wrench in his plan with their powerful retort. Now that the group is organized and ready to stand against Strickland’s move, they are proving to be formidable contenders.

So who is the LetOhioVote.org powerhouse? The company is run by three people: Dan Hansen, Tom Brinkman and Gene Pierce. Each one has their own anti-gambling agenda.  Hansen is a former president of Ohio State University and a conservative public persona. Brinkman is a former republican legislator within the state and Pierce is a communications consultant. He also worked for Ken Blackwell, former secretary of state who ran against Strickland in the 2006 race. The interesting thing about these players is that they are all proven conservatives. They have been instrumental in moving issues like abstinence, anti-abortion and anti-pornography forward. They also have spoken about conservative Christian values in their platforms and lives.

Part two coming next.

Black Bear Entertainment LLC is hoping to collect 80,000 signatures before February 1st 2010. The signatures are centered around the companies desire to win public vote in building a casino in Western Maine. The company is hoping to win the right to force a vote for next year regarding construction of the facility.  Peter Martin, spokesman for Black Bear Entertainment, said that getting 80,000 people involved would be enough to create a vote on the November 2010 ballot.  

Originally the organization did not want to be a part of the construction of the casino in Oxford County. The proposal acknowledged that there were problems with the issue. In particular, the issue of lowering the gambling age to 19 was a problem that hampered the deal.  Martin said that the new gambling proposal does not involve moving the gambling age and also earmarks 32% of all slot machine revenue to the state’s education funding program. It also promises to bring much-needed jobs to the state. Oxford County in Maine has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

There are critics of the plan, however. Anti-gaming organization Casinos-NO! released a statement citing how residents already dismissed a proposal for a casino in the county and they will pass on it again. Dennis Bailey, representative for Casinos-NO! said, “Black Bear is trying to push for the same thing and expect a different outcome that they will not get!”

The issue of building a casino is not a new one. Back in 2003 the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian tribes both pushed for a facility to be built in Sanford. Instead, voters opted for a race track and denied the full casino. Governor John Baldacci denied the request by the Indian tribes for a racino in the county of Washington.

With the previous casino campaign, supporters believe that the casino would be a positive change for the community. They believe in job creation as a huge motivator for building the casino. They also don’t have a problem with the taxation issue. If built, a casino would have a taxation rate of 42% and slots at the casino would be taxed at 46%. Casino gaming tables would be taxed at 16%. The largest group to enjoy the added revenue would be educational-based organizations.