Racetrack lobbyists will try to convince West Virginia Legislature to legalize table gaming on Wednesday. Their former attempts had failed. If before the racetrack lobbyists were trying to persuade legislators with promises of job opportunities and economic development, now they are trying to change their approach and to suggest that the voters will decide on this issue. The racetrack lobbyists plan to call attention to that the proposed law is about authorizing county referenda and not particularly about expanding gambling.
The gambling industry organized a poll which its results show that there are mixed opinions about the legalization of table gaming issue, but the majority believes that the voters should have the right to decide whether to allow racetracks in their counties. The racetracks lobbyists will try to emphasize the significance of countywide elections on the issue of racetrack table gaming in their Wednesday meeting.
Last year, table gaming legislation passed the Senate, but expired in what seemed to be an impasse House Judiciary Committee. A legislative lobby group later met with Gov. Joe Manchin to persuade him to add table games to the agenda of the September special session, but Manchin refused.
