West Virginia Needs to Seriously Consider Table Games

The people of West Virginia need to be careful what they ask for. First some of them said they didn’t want slot machines, and they were outvoted, and now West Virginia brings in millions of dollars in slot machine revenue. Now those same naysayers are saying that they don’t want table games, they want it to stay at just the slot machines. Well, with everyone else adding slot machines as well, WV has to add table games or they will end up losing their revenue.

It all started in 1994 when Hancock County decided to let Mountaineer racetrack add slot machines – and they brought in almost $25 million in the first year. Then more and more slot machines came in, and next thing you know, revenues were up to $266 million just eight years later.

Eventually the other racetracks added slot machines as well, and between the four racetracks they are bringing in $423 million a year to the state in revenue. However, because they have been doing so well, other states are taking an interest and adding slot machines as well.

Because of the proximity of Pennsylvania to the state, once their 61,000 slot machines are in and bringing in revenue, WV can expect their revenues to drop roughly 40%. However, because WV has a head start on the other states who are now adding slot machines, they should add table games to hold on to what they have.

Table games would enable the state to keep their lead in the slot machine revenue department, plus they would add up to an additional 700 jobs to the state as well. Many think that they should just leave it up to the four counties that already house the slot machines to decide if they want to add table games to what they have; for if you make it a statewide referendum it may not pass – or it will pass and other counties will have to allow slot machines and table games where they do not want them.

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