NEWS
N.Y. considers legalizing table games
Posted: Friday, November 21, 2008 3:23 PM
by Paul Post
New York State officials have begun discussing the possible expansion of video lottery operations to include electronic table games such as roulette and blackjack.
New York has eight racinos at seven harness tracks and Finger Lakes Gaming & Race Track, a Thoroughbred venue near Rochester.
Recently, the state also approved a new 4,500-machine racino at Aqueduct Race Track, in Queens, that is slated to open in late 2009 or early '10.
The state is faced with a multi-billion dollar budget deficit and Governor David Paterson has ordered major across-the-board cuts in every agency in an attempt to reduce spending.
Currently, 2001 legislation only allows for slot-like video lottery terminals at racetrack racinos. Other electronic games, however, could help New York compete with neighboring states, such as Connecticut and New Jersey.
New types of games could benefit racing as well. New York Racing Association, which operates Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course, is slated to get 7% of Aqueduct’s revenues—3% for operations and 4% for capital expenses—projected at up to $45-million per year.
“We view these new games as legal under the current lottery law,” said John Charlson, spokesman for New York's Division of Lottery.
Under the state constitution, no regular casinos may be built without the approval of two separately elected state legislatures, which would take several years.
Electronic table gaming would allow the state to head in that direction, without having to go through the full legislative process. Critics would argue that the state is trying to circumvent the law.
But Charlson said there has been a steady and constant evolution of Lottery, from numbers games to scratch-offs to VLTs, since Lottery was first introduced in 1967. Electronic table games would be a natural part of that progression as technology improves, he said.
Paul Post is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
