ANNAPOLIS — The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that could bring a casino to Prince George’s County and table games to the state, but the proposal faces a tougher test in the House over concerns it might oversaturate the local gambling market.
The Senate voted 35-11 in favor of the measure, a proposed constitutional amendment that would set up a slots-and-table-games casino in southern Prince George’s and legalize table games at five other sites in the state.
The bill now needs three-fifths support in the House and approval by a November referendum.
Opponents have argued the state should not add table games until after it rolls out the five slots casinos that voters approved in 2008 - only two of which have opened thus far. They have also argued that a sixth casino could take business from the other sites, particularly planned casinos in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore.
Senate supporters amended their bill in an effort to quell such concerns, giving casino operators a larger share of revenues than before while assuring critics that a sixth casino will mean more money for state education and other causes.
“It benefits every single county in the state,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Prince George’s Democrat. “It’s a well thought-out compromise bill that we hope moves forward rapidly in the House.”
The state currently has slots casinos open in Worcester and Cecil counties with one set to open this spring in Anne Arundel County. Developers have yet to be chosen for planned sites in Allegany County and Baltimore.
An expansion to table games would answer the wishes of critics who say slots have limited appeal and that Maryland must catch up to bordering states that have already moved on to games such as poker and blackjack.
A Prince George’s casino would delight county officials who want in on the potentially lucrative industry after refusing slots years ago because of concerns that gambling would bring crime and take money from residents.
Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, a Democrat, has publicly lobbied for a casino to be built at National Harbor and contends that the waterfront development would attract mostly out-of-state residents rather than feeding on locals for revenue.
A state commission would ultimately choose the site, and geographic restrictions in the bill would likely leave them to choose between National Harbor and the Rosecroft Raceway harness track.
According to the bill, casino operators who currently receive 33 percent of their facilities’ slots revenues would be bumped up to 40 percent to ease their concerns about losing business, and up to 48 percent under the condition that they buy their own slot machines rather than having the state do it.
A Prince George’s casino could open as soon as mid-2015 and would be projected to earn $450 million in slots revenue in its first year - $25 million of which would go to the county for economic development, with about $220 million going to the operator and much of the rest going to state education.
Casino operators would keep 90 percent of table-games revenue with 10 percent going to the facility’s host county.
Voters both statewide and in Prince George’s County would have to support the measure for it to entirely take effect.
If a statewide majority approves it but a countywide majority does not, table games would be added at the five existing sites but there would not be a sixth casino built.
The Senate approved the bill with bipartisan support, as 26 of 34 voting Democrats and nine of 12 Republicans voted for the measure.
Some lawmakers expressed concern that slots have not been given enough time to work.
“I think we’re maybe a year ahead of ourselves in how it impacts counties,” said Sen. Bryan W. Simonaire, Anne Arundel Republican. “And I think we’ve got enough other sources of revenue that we don’t need to be in gambling.”
The bill is expected to arrive this week in the House Ways and Means Committee, where members are considered somewhat less receptive to the legislation than their Senate counterparts.
Delegate Frank S. Turner, chairman of the gambling subcommittee that will have first look at the bill, said he is wary that the state could be delving too deep into the casino business.
He pointed out that adding a Prince George’s facility with 4,750 slots machines - matching the planned number in Anne Arundel - would give Maryland two of the six biggest casinos in the nation.
“You might say it is oversaturation. It’s an awful lot of machines,” said Mr. Turner, Howard Democrat. “We’re going to have to look at it real close.”
• David Hill can be reached at dhill@washingtontimes.com.
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