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Gambling Industry May Lose at Ballot Box

UNITED STATES – As reported by the CBS MarketWatch: "The gambling industry's long and triumphant march toward near-ubiquity on the American landscape may be about to trip over the ballot box.

"Voters in six states will decide next week on measures that could, depending on the locale, make it either harder or easier to increase the betting opportunities for their citizens. The odds currently favor a slowdown of the industry's expansion, observers say.

"…'We are going to win five out of six or maybe six out of six,' said Tom Grey, executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. 'We could run the table on this.'

"Merrill Lynch analyst David Anders agreed that prospects for more expansion this time are poor. With the possible exception of Oklahoma, he said, 'the latest pollings that we viewed do not appear to be too encouraging for gaming legislation.'

"…One big exception this time is in Michigan where they find themselves in a curious alliance with anti-gambling forces in trying to pass the amendment. The campaign to get it on the ballot grew out of a piece of legislation that would have allowed for slot machines at racetracks - a prospect that horrified both activists and the state's existing operators…"

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