The Indiana House
Public Policy Committee today did away with portions of a bill that would allow live table games at horse-track racinos and let riverboat casinos move on land.The committee voted 8-5 to limit Senate Bill 528 by approving an amendment offered by committee chairman Bill Davis, R-Portland.
He said allowing live table games at the two racinos in Central Indiana amounted to an unnecessary expansion of gambling and suggested it would hurt full-fledged casinos on the state’s borders that are already contending with growing competition in neighboring states.
The committee also unanimously adopted an amendment that restored casino revenue to local communities. The Senate version had ended a state promise that dates to 2002, guaranteeing local communities would never receive less from admissions taxes
than they did that year, when they were capped.After the changes, the measure was approved 10-3, though some who voted for it said they may vote against it when it comes before the full House for debate. Davis said the debate on the bill is far from over, predicting it would now go to the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee for a fiscal look and vote. If it clears that hurdle it will go to the full House.
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By adopting the amendment, the only major provisions left in the bill would simply do away with taxes on up to $2 million worth of free-play coupons at each casino and provide $40 million in gaming investment tax
credits.http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013303200049
