The following are American jurisdictions having recent activity concerning legal gambling.
* – States and territories with gaming devices are marked with an asterisk: *
! – States with at least one casino (defined as having both banking card games and slot-like machines) are marked with an exclamation point: !
MAINE – Charities can offer limited dice and card games, including blackjack. Some, illegally, also have video poker. A bill has been entered to make the machines legal. On Nov. 7, 2000 voters decided not to allow up to 1,500 video lottery machines at Scarborough Downs racetrack. A federal court ruled the Maine Land Settlement Act preempts IGRA, so, the state will not be forced to negotiate for Indian casinos. The State Senate defeated a bill which would have allowed the Passamaquoddy Tribe to run high-stakes bingo. A legislative attempt to put video gaming devices at the state’s tracks faces a veto by Gov. King.
MARYLAND – Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. established a special committee to study gaming, saying it is inevitable, but chose an opponent of gambling as the head. Gov. Parris N. Glendening remains rabidly anti-gaming, but he leaves office at the end of 2002. Gov. Glendening appointed a prior task force, which voted unanimously against casinos. Tracks gave up their drive to get slots, for $10 million in increased purses. A statute allows phone wagers and tracks want implementing regulations; the real goal: Internet betting.
MASSACHUSETTS – The Legislature saved the state’s four horse and dog tracks by allowing them to take bets on races around the Casino Malaysia country. On Nov. 7, 2000, voters rejected a proposal to end dog racing. The state’s horse and dog tracks need slots to survive, but they will not get them this session. Casino proposals keep popping up, but go nowhere; in June 2001 the Senate killed a bill for up to three casinos. Atty. Gen. Reilly is a leading opponent. Gov. Cellucci says he will negotiate only Class II gaming with the Wampanoag Indians. In 1997 the Legislature killed a deal between then-Gov. Weld and the tribe for a casino in New Bedford, rather than on their inaccessible reservation. A court has upheld the right of local government to regulate or prohibit cruises to nowhere. To save charity bingo, the limit on progressive jackpots was raised from $500 to $3,000.
!* MICHIGAN – In Nov. 1996, voters approved three casinos for Detroit, despite the strong opposition of Gov. John Engler – the first time in American history that citizens of a state voted to allow new high-stakes commercial casinos in the face of active opposition. On July 29, 1999, Detroit became the largest city in the U.S. to have a land-based casino, the MGM Grand’s $235 million “temporary” facility with 75,000 square feet of gaming, 2,300 slots and 80 table games. Detroit’s three casinos take in almost $1 billion a year: MGM Grand and Motorcity about $29 million a month, and Greektown about $22 million. The state currently has 11 tribal compacts and 17 casinos. A trial judge ruled the compacts void, because the Legislature approved them by resolution, not by bill. A bill to prohibit casino ATMs is pending. The state’s racetracks say they need slot machines to survive. Charity bingo revenue is down 26% in six years; so, the Legislature approved progressive jackpots. The limits on “Millionaire Parties,” casino nights, were raised from a $2,000 prize limit to total chip sales of $15,000. A new statute appears to make Internet gambling illegal, but actually legalizes online wagering conducted by state licensed operators.
