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California Slot Proposals Whittled Down to Two

CALIFORNIA – As reported by the Sacramento Bee: "The field of entrants expected to toe the starting line in the Great Slot Machine Derby of 2004 has been whittled to the two most well-heeled.

"Representatives for initiatives that could greatly expand legal gambling in California say they each will submit more than a million signatures of registered voters to the secretary of state's office by Friday to qualify the measures for the Nov. 4 ballot.

"…One, sponsored by a group of cardrooms and racetracks, would require casino tribes to share 25 percent of their revenues with the state and meet other stringent requirements. If any tribe refuses to comply, five tracks and 11 cardrooms would be allowed to operate a total of 30,000 slot machines.

"The tracks and cardrooms would share a third of their slot money with local law-enforcement and firefighting agencies and educational programs for abused or neglected children.

"…The competing measure is sponsored by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, which operates two casinos near Palm Springs and is one of the most influential and financially successful tribes in the state.

"The proposal would remove limits on the kinds of games tribes can offer and the number of slot machines and casinos they can have on tribal land, and extend the current 20-year compacts to 99 years.

"In return, casino tribes would share revenue with the state equal to the prevailing corporate tax rate, which is currently about 9 percent…"

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