\n
The new bill is similar to Berger\u2019s previous effort, which was the template for the budget proposal. However, as CBS17 notes, the previous bill, oddly, would have allowed just one company to run the three supposed casinos on nontribal lands. The new version would open the process to different developers while retaining the possibility that one could still run all three.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The purpose is to \u201cencourage and promote tourism in rural counties,\u201d according to its authors, who describe gaming as a \u201cnew and expanding component of the tourism industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
“As many contiguous states allow gaming, those industry business opportunities and employment opportunities are being lost to this State,\u201d<\/strong> the legislation asserts.<\/p>\nUnder the bill, prospective licensees would need to get local officials and residents from proposed host communities on board before submitting a plan to the state\u2019s Secretary of Administration for approval.<\/p>\n
Tide Turning <\/strong><\/h2>\nNorth Carolina has traditionally been a conservative state when it comes to gambling. It was the last state on the Eastern Seaboard to establish a lottery, and it was reluctant to accept tribal casinos after the passage of IGRA. Despite hosting one harness racetrack, pari-mutuel betting on horse racing was illegal until this year.<\/p>\n
But the tide has been turning. In 2021, the tribes negotiated in-person sports betting at their casinos in the west of the state. In June 2023, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) legalized mobile and land-based sports betting — as well as pari-mutuel race betting — although the new market won\u2019t be up and running until early 2024.<\/p>\n
Existing tribal operators will strongly oppose casino expansion, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the South Carolina-based Catawba Nation, and conservative and religious groups.<\/strong><\/p>\nA separate, bipartisan bill that combines the casino issue with a Medicaid expansion measure is scheduled to be debated later this week.<\/p>\n
In a statement Saturday, Gov. Cooper denounced the effort as \u201cthe most brutally dishonest legislative scheme I\u2019ve seen in my three-plus decades.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are right to be suspicious,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A new draft bill outlining proposed North Carolina casino expansion would authorize the creation of four casino licenses in the state, CBS17 reports. One of the new licenses will be reserved for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, which is recognized by the state but not the federal government. It cannot organize gaming under the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":290198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,13,61],"tags":[88034,88033,87126],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
North Carolina GOP Unveils New Casino Bill After Budget Fail<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n