Slot Machine Casino Petition

Maine’s Passamaquoddy Indian tribe wants to put slot machines at a commercial harness-racing track in Washington County – and they now have enough signatures to get it on the ballot in November. The Secretary of State has validated that there are enough signatures to put the slot machine referendum on the ballot, so that Maine’s residents can decide whether or not to allow the expansion of slot machines. Some do not want to see gambling expanded any further in the state – they think adding the slot machines to the racetrack are just not needed. However, others see another side of the slot machine issue – the tribes’ side.

Maine’s tribes have never been ones to make a lot of money – so the slot machines will be evening the score a little. There are some states where their tribes are bringing in millions or billions in slot machine revenue, but Maine is not one of them. The state has told the tribe over and over how they will help them, instead of giving them slot machines, but that has not happened.

Instead, the governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed slot machines and gambling in eastern Maine, thereby ensuring that this source of income would not help the tribe either. The tribes are now being forced to sit and watch slot machines come into Bangor, while they have been told they cannot. This doesn’t mean that the slot machine casino in Bangor is a good idea, it just simply shows one more way that this state has chosen not to help the tribes.


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