Michigan Considering Slot Machines at Racetracks

Oakland County in Michigan says that they have a group of people who would like to see slot machines legalized at the state’s horse racing tracks. The counties Executive L. Brooks Patterson said that they could have racinos up and running in less than a year, and that from just those six sites the slot machines could generate $1.7 billion for the state.

He also said, however, that it was not likely that such a measure would get passed. He said that there would be money behind the measure, to keep the slot machines from getting legalized, as the casinos would not want that to happen because it would take slot machine revenue from them. He said the state tried once before to pass a similar bill in 2004 and it was defeated.

The voters passed Amendment One which said that in order for casinos and or other gambling operations to gain approval – they had to be approved by voters at both the state and the local level. The only exceptions to that rule are the casinos run by the Indian Tribes and Detroit’s three casinos.

The people of Michigan do not want to see slot machines or gambling expanded, so with the passing of the Amendment, it made it almost impossible for the racinos to get slot machines. Patterson said that perhaps it was time to legalize the slot machines at the racinos, and use some of the proceeds to pay for the expansion of Detroit’s Cabo Center. He admitted that they could also use the money to deal with structural deficits as well.

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