Slot Machines Not Enough for WV

With Pennsylvania bringing in their first slot machines and their first slot machine casinos up and running by next month, West Virginia has already felt the pinch in their slot machine revenue. However, now Ohio has the Learn and Earn initiative that will bring slot machines to Ohio if approved, which will hurt West Virginia’s slot machine revenue even more.

West Virginian’s are thinking that perhaps in addition to slot machines they should be bringing in table games. They are hoping that by offering something more than slot machines that they might be able to hold on to some of their customers, and hence, more of their slot machine revenue. If they don’t add table games, many think that the slot machine revenue will not be enough and they will have to start doing massive layoffs.

Legislators have discussed bringing in a table games bill last year, but it could not get the support that it needed. This year they didn’t even approach the idea. State and lottery officials though keep warning that the slot machines just aren’t enough. They say that it will be a huge setback to the state when slot machine revenues start to decline. They made $420 million last year in slot machine revenue, and they can expect to make less this year.

Since the slot machine measure in Ohio is considered to be a very close issue, with 48% saying they are definitely not voting to bring in the slot machines, West Virginia is holding off on making any moves to add table games to their slot machines until they see what happens at the polls.

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