Slot Machine Politics

It has become commonplace for state’s to try and fix their budget problems by bringing in slot machines. It has also become commonplace for people to fight them on it. Well, Thursday night was a bit of a switch for the slot machine industry. Instead of each candidate saying how great it would be, all but one said they would not want slot machines to come into the state. Many agreed that they might approve of slot machines brought in if they only went to the racetracks, but otherwise they did not want to see them in the state.

Only one candidate seemed primed for slot machines. House of Delegates candidate Michael Smigiel said that he might support a slot machine proposal if it was reworked. This is a change of stance for the candidate as he had previously voted in favor of the legislation. “It’s less likely that the idea is feasible anymore,” he said. “It’s not going to be possible to do what we were told two to three years ago.” 

The candidates agreed for the most part that the racetracks would be the perfect spot for slot machines, and they were sure that the tracks would “welcome slots with open arms because that could keep the horse-racing industry alive,” stated County Commissioner Harry Hepbron. Hepbron has previously also voted to approve slot machines in the county.

Republican Diana Broomell disagreed asking why the tracks would want something that would directly compete with the other betting facilities on the premises. She said that most of the racetracks did not want the slot machines.

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