Last years statewide gambling expansion will soon allow video gaming terminals in truck stops. This is not something I would want to see in Lower Mac. So, this is something to keep an eye on. What you need to know:

In 2017 the state legislature passed a gambling expansion allowing for 10 new satellite casinos around the state. Part of the law, included the ability for municipalities to opt out and say no to these facilities locally. In Lower Mac we voted to opt out. So, we won’t have a mini casino here in Lower Mac. We prohibited them. We felt it wasn’t something that made sense for us so we shut the door.

Here is the list of communities that prohibited mini casinos.

Another part of the expansion is a pilot program to permit gambling via video gaming terminals at truck stops. So far however, the state legislature hasn’t put forward a provision allowing local communities to opt out like they did with mini casinos. This prevents us from prohibiting truck stop gambling in the same way we could mini casinos.

Senator Scott Martin (Thank you!) however, is working to change that. I support legislation to allow us to say no to truck stop gambling and encourage local State Senators Pat Browne & Lisa Boscola to co-sponsor Senate Bill 87 which would allow local communities to say NO to truck stop gambling in addition to mini casinos. 

I hope to see a companion bill in the state house as well.