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Court: Let Michigan Voters Decide Gambling Issue

LANSING, Michigan – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Proposal 1 will stay on the Nov. 2 General Election ballot, giving Michigan voters a chance to decide future state-sponsored gambling expansions, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled today.

The three-judge panel unanimously rejected pro-gambling lobbyists and their attorneys who argued to keep Proposal 1 off the ballot because they want the Legislature to open nine new horse racetrack casinos without a vote of the people. The Appeals Court affirmed a 4-0 vote from the Board of State Canvassers to place Proposal 1 on the ballot.

Some 500,690 Michigan voters signed petitions to put the Let Voters Decide-YES on 1 amendment on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. Under the proposal, Michigan voters would decide future state-proposed gambling expansions -- just as Michigan voters have decided state-proposed gambling expansions in the past, including the Lottery in 1972 and the three Detroit casinos in 1996. But backers of the new horse track casinos -- including Canadian-based Magna Entertainment -- fought to keep the proposal off the ballot and away from Michigan voters.

"Today's Court of Appeals ruling is a victory for all Michigan voters, who have always decided major gambling expansions in the past and deserve to have a vote on future casino-style gambling expansions in their communities," said Let Voters Decide - YES on 1 spokesman Roger Martin.

Martin continued: "Whenever the state has proposed a massive gambling expansion, Michigan voters have made the decision, including the Lottery in 1972 and the three Detroit casinos in 1996. This is about giving local voters at least some control over video gambling machines and future gambling expansions in their communities."

If the Let Voters Decide - YES on 1 amendment does not pass on Nov. 2, as early as next year nine new horse racetrack casinos -- each with 2,000 or more video gambling machines -- would open in communities across Michigan without a vote of the people. This would amount to a near doubling of the number of video gambling machines in Michigan. The new horse track casinos would open in or near Jackson, Saginaw, Flint, Muskegon, Mt. Pleasant, Hazel Park, Northville, Lansing and Romulus.

The Let Voters Decide - YES on 1 proposal has no affect on existing Michigan Lottery games. Under the amendment, the Lottery is free to establish new games in the future short of placing Video Lottery Terminals/slot machines or table games into neighborhood bars, restaurants or other community-based locations across the state. If state government/the Lottery wants to operate casino-style gambling, voters would have to approve.

The three Detroit casinos and the Lottery would continue to operate because they have already been approved by Michigan voters. Current Indian casinos would also continue to operate because they are regulated by federal law.

Under their constitutions, 10 other states permit certain types of gaming activities only when they are authorized by a local vote of citizens in the municipality or county where gaming would take place -- Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Dakota and West Virginia. In addition, the constitutions of five states require a statewide vote of the people for gambling expansion or authorization -- Colorado, Montana, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington.

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