House Approves Bill To Regulate Slots At Harness Racetracks

Lawmakers mowed down a series of amendments Monday to a bill to regulate slot machines at harness racing tracks, then approved a package of new rules that's been debated and refined since December.


The bill would create a Gambling Control Board to regulate slots at the tracks, and it would set a formula under which slot revenues would be distributed. Sixty-one percent of gross slot machine revenues would go to the track operator, with the remaining 39 percent to be split among various state and race industry interests.


The bill mainly applies to the Bangor Raceway because it makes no provision to give Scarborough Downs more time to find a host community for a southern Maine racino. Maine voters in November authorized slot machines at Maine tracks, provided local voters also approve the racinos. Bangor voters have given their approval, but Scarborough and neighboring communities have said no.


Penn National Gaming Inc. plans to install as many as 1,500 slot machines at Bangor's track. Gov. John Baldacci has insisted on new regulations to oversee racinos in Maine, saying the state currently lacks rules to oversee the industry.


The bill backed by the majority of the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee would limit the number of slot machines in Maine to 1,500 per facility and 3,000 statewide. One of several amendments rejected Monday evening sought to limit the number of slots, at least initially, to 50.


Another, also rejected overwhelmingly, sought to reduce the operators' share of revenues by 3 percent and divert the money to state tax-relief programs.


Separate proposals sought a bigger share of the overall take for the state general fund, larger allocations for state university and community college scholarships, and a new statewide racino referendum.


After all of the amendments were set aside by the House, the bill was adopted and sent to the Senate. Penn National, which was not happy with its 61 percent share of slot revenues, anticipates revenues of $150 per machine per day once the racino is operating.