Slot Machine Contract Vote Postponed 

It would appear that no matter what Maryland does they just can’t get a hold of their slot machine problems. They either have residents who wanted the slot machines but not where they want to put them, or they have contractors missing deadlines for bids and payments, or the latest – delayed votes on a management contract. Maryland’s residents voted to approve slot machines over a year ago, and still nothing has been accomplished in terms of actually getting them up and running. 

The latest is the vote on a management contract for Maryland’s slot machine operations. The Maryland Board of Public Works was supposed to put the issue to a vote, but they have decided to postpone that vote until next year. Much of this has to do with Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot.  

Franchot has long been against bringing in the slot machines altogether, but this latest move has many wondering whether slot machines will ever get into the state at all. He said that he was concerned about the slot machine contract as it is very expensive and the state really doesn’t know when slot machines will become operational within their borders – which quite frankly is a very good point considering their track record.  

The Italian company GTech is trying to get a $21.5 million deal with the state which is very expensive considering they don’t actually have any slot machines yet. Not only that, but if they sign the deal and the slot machines are not up and running by the time it goes into effect then the state would have to cover the bill which it doesn’t have the money to do.

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