NC Gives Up on Casino Expansion, Gambling Machine Legalization Still Possible

North Carolina may not authorize more casinos but legal video gambling machines could be on the table. According to the latest reveals from General Assembly members, lawmakers may introduce an attempt to sanction the vertical this spring.

For reference, North Carolina tried to expand its land-based casino industry with four new properties. However, the proposal failed to gain traction amid strong opposition from opponents of the Republican-backed measure. This primarily included Christian conservatives and Democrats.

For reference, North Carolina currently boasts three tribally-operated casinos.

The previous measure also envisioned the licensing of gambling machines through the state regulator. While this idea also faltered, legislators are keen on giving it another go.

According to House Speaker Tim Moore, the revival of the video lottery terminal question continues to be actively discussed by lawmakers and had been the preferred aspect of the previous proposal. However, Moore admitted that the previous bill didn’t go as planned.

Berger Weighed in on the Matter

Senate leader Phil Berger was an avid supporter of the previous measure, arguing that it would create additional jobs and revenues for the state and rural areas. However, he told news outlets that he doesn’t plan to introduce new casino legislation in the near future. In addition, he doesn’t think anyone else is planning to champion the expansion of the state’s casino industry for now.

Berger also addressed the plans to reintroduce a video gambling machines bill, noting that he is uncertain whether there would be enough time to properly discuss and consider the measure. Since sessions in even-numbered years tend to be shorter, getting the machines greenlit would be an uphill battle, the Senator believes.

In addition, experts are certain that conservatives are once again going to oppose the measure and would likely argue that an extra gambling vertical would expose vulnerable people in the state to extra risks of developing gambling harm.

Speaking of North Carolina, the NC State Lottery Commission recently approved Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), a provider of high-quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, as an Independent Test Lab.