West Virginia Table Games Debate

With the state two for three in legalizing table games at four county racetracks, the vote in Kanawha County is heating up as they are the last county to vote on the games. Both their supporters and the opposition are looking at trying to win this last one, but with the county government also looking at approving the games, this one may go to supporters.

The county’s elected officials have already said that they are voting in favor of the table games as they believe that the games will bring in more tourists and increase economic growth. In response to the opposition, who says that they should not be swaying the public with their views, the commission said that they believe that people want them to lead and that is what they are doing.

Voters will have their chance at the polls August 11th, and if they approve the table games then Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming will presumably have them in by the fall. The track currently offers slot machines but could be looking at adding blackjack, poker, and other games as well.

The West Virginia Family Foundation has been fighting the table games issue across all four counties, and has only been successful so far in one of them. They also tried suing the state but lost that battle as well. They are planning on filing a federal lawsuit as well in the coming weeks. They say that the commissioners are “enticing” people to support gambling, and that if they were going to have a vote on table games it should have been statewide and not just in those four counties. They say that the entire state will be affected by them, and it is unfair to not allow everyone to have their voices heard.

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