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West Virginia Legislation Expected to Pass

WHEELING, West Virginia – As reported by the Wheeling Register: "State Sen. Andy McKenzie and Delegate Gil White, both R-Ohio, said Monday they believe table gambling legislation will pass in West Virginia - but not before the Legislature has discussed the tax rates for both table gambling and video lottery terminals at racetracks.

"Legislators have described the 12 percent proposed tax rate for table gambling as a starting point for negotiations and have noted that the rates for video lottery taxes are on the table as well.

"Video lottery revenue at the state's four licensed racetracks is currently taxed at about 57 percent, with 13 percent going to the dog or horse racing industries and 44 percent going to state and local governments.

"White said he is confident that the passage of a table gambling bill would be accompanied by some form of adjustment to the tax rate on racetrack video lottery terminals so that the state ends up with a larger portion.

"… Legislators also are looking at adjusting the tax rate found in a recently proposed bill to allow table gambling.

"…'The bill that was proposed last week certainly doesn't do that, and we know that,' said White. The proposed legislation, which was drafted by the West Virginia Racing Association - a group representing the state's four licensed racetracks - would provide 11 percent of table gambling revenue to the state and 1 percent to the racing industry…"

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