Senate committee considers new bill to expand gambling

By Rebecca Cook

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — A Senate committee is considering a bill that would significantly expand gambling in Washington state.

SB 6193 would allow charitable organizations, card rooms and minicasinos to have the same types of gambling allowed at Indian tribal casinos. That would include baccarat, keno, craps and roulette.

The bill would also allow as many as 200 electronic machines similar to slot machines in 200 private casinos, a total of 40,000 machines. Atlantic City, N.J., has 36,000 slot machines.

Indian leaders vehemently oppose the bill. All profits from Indian casinos go to government services. Now they enjoy a competitive advantage over nontribal casinos, but this bill would erase that edge.

Samish Tribal Council Chairman Kenneth Hansen said the threat of the bill is already hurting his government. Plans to buy an RV park have been put on hold until the tribe is sure its revenue stream from gambling won’t dry up. He’s asking the Legislature to keep current laws in place, saying the proposed bill would benefit only "greedy profiteers."

Sen. Margarita Prentice, D-Seattle, sponsored the bill, which is backed by private casino owners. She has said she may add a referendum clause to the bill and send it to a vote of the people.

Gov. Gary Locke earlier proposed a 10 percent state tax on card rooms, punch boards and pulltabs as a way to fill the state’s $1.2 billion budget hole. Operators of minicasinos, also known as enhanced card rooms, said the tax would drive them out of businesses. Private casino owners and workers packed the Capitol steps earlier this week for a loud rally denouncing Locke’s plan. Prentice said she would kill Locke’s proposal.

Her bill may be a first step toward some eventual compromise between Locke’s tax plan and the private casino owners.