Maryland Good Market for Slots

With Governor O’Malley seriously looking to add slots to the state so as to fix the problem with the budget, gambling industry executives are looking to Maryland to be the next small Vegas. They say that it has the potential to become a huge gambling market, and would like to take advantage of the possibility of slots coming into the state.

The state is considering allowing slots, and then eventually could add blackjack, poker, etc. later on down the line. With the assembly talking about slots this week at a special session, the idea that slots could be legalized very shortly in the state is not that far off of an idea. The state says that slots gambling could bring in as much as $550 million a year for state coffers and therefore should be explored as a possibility.

With the state looking at a $1.7 billion deficit for their budget, that money could go a long way to making that amount much lower. Industry executives are gearing up to convince state officials that bringing in slots is the best thing that they could do for themselves. They say that as far as slots and gambling go right now, “no state is more important” in the fight to expand gambling.

They say that legalizing slots and gambling in the state would help other states as well. They say that they would draw people to Atlantic City and Las Vegas as well. They also say that the chances of the state remaining slots only over the year is less than likely, so this really would be the first step in bringing in table games in addition to the slots.

They say that if they make the racinos destinations by adding in restaurants, etc. they will bring in more people than if they just allow it to be horse racing and slots. They agree that destination casinos are where the money is at, and if they can do that they can bring in both a larger and younger crowd.


 

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