Delaware ups ante on slots

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By Michael Drost

Maryland slots opponents say moves by the Delaware state legislature to legalize sports betting and table gambling will lead state lawmakers and developers to call for expanded gambling options to compete with other states in the region.

"There's going to be a push to expand. You can be rest assured about that," said Barbara Knicklebein, co-chairman of the advocacy group No Casino Maryland. "It's a race to the bottom, and we knew this was going to happen from the get-go."

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, a Democrat, on May 14 signed a bill into law to allow sports betting and to declare the state's intention to introduce table games, such as blackjack and roulette, in casinos at the state's three horse racetracks.

That worries activists who opposed slots during the Maryland referendum effort last year that authorized the machines. They fear lawmakers and developers will try to expand Maryland's gaming options to keep pace, setting the stage for another bitter battle over gambling.

"With the constraints of the slots legislation - the way only so many machines can be built in so many places - a call for expansion is inevitable," said Aaron Meisner, a Mount Washington resident and founder of Stop Slots Maryland. "Frankly, I'm sick of it."

A spokeswoman for House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Anne Arundel Democrat, said that calls by developers to expand Maryland's gaming options are likely and could result in a new referendum effort if legislators follow suit.

"It's certainly a possibility. As other states create more gambling options, we'll see calls by developers to expand their options as well," said Busch spokeswoman Alex Hughes. "It all depends on what's brought up during the legislative session."

According to the state constitution, any new forms of gambling must be passed by the General Assembly and then approved by a public vote like last year's referendum. While projections put the opening of the first slots parlor in the state about a year away at least, their approval has already had effects.

Delaware Rep. Peter C. Schwartzkopf, a Democrat who introduced the gambling-expansion bill, said his legislation was partly a response to Maryland's decision to legalize slots.

"It gives our casinos a competitive advantage, so that we can make sure players stay in our state's borders," he said. "Since Maryland and Pennsylvania legalized slots, it gives us all the more reason to stay competitive."