Republican-led North Carolina introduces solo casino legislation following budget impasse
A new bill currently being considered in North Carolina could potentially open up space for four new casinos state-wide. One of these licenses is set aside for the Lumbee Tribe, who are recognized by the state but not the federal government and therefore aren't allowed to operate casinos under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The other three licenses would be available to rural counties close to major transportation routes.
Republican lawmakers in the state, who had previously hinted at Anson, Rockingham, and Nash Counties as potential candidates, have not specified any certain locations in the latest proposal. North Carolina already has three casinos owned by two federally recognized Native American tribes.
The proposal was drawn up after Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger failed to get his previous bill included in the state budget, leading to a budget delay of nearly six months.
This latest iteration of the bill is similar to Berger's earlier try, but alters some key provisions. Notably, Berger's previous version allowed just one company to run all three proposed non-tribal casinos. The new bill offers the opportunity for multiple developers to enter the fray.
The bills' supporters argue that it would allow for an increase in tourism in less populous areas of the state. They position gaming as a growing tourism sector.
The bill stipulates that prospective licensees must win local support before they can submit their plans for approval by the Secretary of Administration.
North Carolina has a history of being cautious when it comes to gambling. It was the last state on the Eastern Seaboard to have a state lottery and was resistant to tribal casinos following the IGRA's passing. Though horse racing was popular, pari-mutuel betting was illegal. However, public sentiment has been shifting in recent years, with both in-person sports betting at tribes' casinos and legalization of both sports betting and horse racing pari-mutuel betting passing in the last few years. Opposition from existing tribal casino operators, the Cherokee and Catawba nations, and conservative or religious groups looms on the horizon.
The push for opening up casinos is being paired with a bill to expand Medicaid in the state, and a debate on this topic is scheduled for later in the week.
Governor Roy Cooper angrily denounced the plan, calling it "the most brutally dishonest legislative scheme I've seen in my three-plus decades."
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Source: www.casino.org
