Legislative freebies today are courtesy of the Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association, which races dogs at the Southland track in West Mempis and just got a boost from voters thanks to the casino expansion amendment that not only lowered the state tax on gambling at the racino but pumped money into the dogr racing purse fund. Here's a topic for legislators to ask about: Dog injuries.
Driving Arkansas Forward, the group formed to advocate Issue 4 to expand casino gambling in Arkansas, reported today an additional $2.7 million in contributions to push total contributions for the campaign to more than $7 million. Most of the money has already been committed to advertising.
A group hoping to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2018 to legalize more casinos in Arkansas and devote tax revenues to highways has submitted an altered proposal to the attorney general's office.A significant change seems to have brought support from the existing casino duopoly at Southland Park in West Memphis and Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs.
Note a new legislative proposal from Sen. Scott Flippo of Bull Shoals: It's nothing more than a proposal to legalize certain forms of gambling in Arkansas.
The group that successfully fought a proposed constitutional amendment to allow three more casinos in Arkansas said today that its polling showed the measure would have been decisively defeated had it reached the ballot.
Casino owners poured almost $6 million into campaigns for and against a casino expansion amendment for Arkansas that was struck from the ballot by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Correcting the record on casino gambling: Passage of a proposed amendment would not bring sports wagering to the state. And, PS: They are already gambling with real cards at Oaklawn and Southland.
The latest debate on more casino gambling in Arkansas is more likely to be decided by public attitudes about gambling in general rather than some of the legal questions raised by opponents, casino operators themselves.
The campaign against a casino gambling amendment begins with a news conference this morning at the Capitol. There's at least a touch of irony in the chief argument used by opponents of the measure.