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House panel rejects live table games at racinos

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A panel of Indiana House lawmakers stripped most provisions of a gambling bill Wednesday, setting up a potential showdown with senators who approved a gambling expansion last month.

Indiana's casinos are pressing to bring their riverboat operations on shore and the owner of Indiana's two racetracks with slots wants approval to install table games as new casinos in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio look ready to siphon away business.

But the House Public Policy Committee voted 10-3 to advance a bill that does away with both provisions and restores state aid for counties that host casinos, which the Senate cut in the gambling bill.

Jim Brown, chief operating officer for the Centaur Holdings, which owns both the Shelbyville and Anderson tracks, argued that adding table games would amount to a formality because both tracks already have games like poker and roulette operated by machines.

But Republican Committee Chairman Rep. Bill Davis, R-Portland, said table games never were what the Legislature intended when it approved slots for the racetracks.

"Why did you not install table games when you first put the casino in?" Davis pressed.

The House gambling bill keeps in place a handful of small tax changes sought by the gambling industry, but the largest items were eliminated.

The gambling industry has spent more than $19 million lobbying for gambling expansions and lower taxes with mixed success since 2000. In that time, riverboats won approval to dock permanently, the tracks won approval of 4,000 slots and the owners of the French Lick Resort and Casino won an exception to the state's water-based casino rule in order to build their casino.

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  • Really?
    Is David from Indiana? Does he have the concerns of Indiana in mind? Or other states? Why on earth would one of our representatives vote for people to spend their money and travel to other states? Next election, Portland should give this guy the boot.
  • Stupidity Reigns
    Bill Davis...congrats, you are the most ignorant legislator of the session.
  • Thank you. J. Kasich-(R) Gov OH
    Wheeew. Cincinnati business folks wanna thank ya'. The Governor of Ohio also extends his appreciation.
  • Why Not?
    Why would they vote to not allow table games?!? What's the difference in terms of morals or in the laws eyes as to having digital games vs. REAL ones? I very much enjoy spending a day at a casino, but will only do so to play table games which the racinos don't have. This is certainly a disservice to them and the surrounding communities as the increase in revenue from the increased use and taxes would likely be substantial. How can Indianapolis continue to compete with other cities for convention and visitors if Indiana is stuck in the dark ages? On another note, how did French Lick get away with not having their casino on a river or at a horse track!?? They built a building, put a moat around it, then drained the moat. How does that meet the current laws?

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  1. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  2. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

  3. Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!

  4. I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.

  5. This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.

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