The United States has some pretty complex gambling legislation in place, but most of it is decided by state governments, rather than the president.
Three cities in Colorado, the only three cities in the state where gambling is legal, are hoping to approve amendment 77 which would see casinos given more flexibility.
If the amendment is approved, we could see higher bet limits and more games flood into casinos in these three cities.
3 Cities in Colorado are hoping to get more control over their casinos
Tight Limits and a Nightmare to Change
As it stands, Black Hawk, Central City and Ripple Creek are the only cities in the state that are legally allowed to offer gambling establishments.
But, as it stands, bet limits are capped at $100 and casinos can only offer slots, blackjack, roulette, craps and poker.
If a casino wishes to change anything, it requires a state-wide vote, which is time consuming and often will result in not enough votes to pass.
Amendment 77 will change the required vote, meaning that only people in the city that a casino is in will be required to vote on the changes.
This is a huge amendment that will see cities put in control of the casinos, rather than trusting the upgrades and changes to the entire state, where competing companies could shoot it down.
On top of this, the amendment will also change the tax distribution raised from casinos, giving more to community colleges to help improve student retention and curriculum completion.
The amendment requires a 55% majority to pass, and it already has backing from Caesars Entertainment, Penn National Gaming and Monarch Casinos.
So far, there are no groups opposing the amendment, meaning we will likely see this bill pass with little to no resistance whatsoever.
Other Areas Looking to Move Away from Casino Reliance
Elsewhere in the world, major casino hubs are actually looking to ditch reliance on casino income following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Macau has already filed plans to create family-focused tourism areas, filled with water parks, recreational areas and much more.
This follows a major reduction in tax revenue from casinos in the fallout of COVID-19.
The special administrative region (SAR) has been struggling as casino remain closed, and areas in the United States could learn a thing or two.
Reliance on the casino industry can be very dangerous, especially if player numbers dropped.
With cities taking control of the legislature and limits put in place, we could see cities pitting themselves against one another to become more lucrative for players and high rollers.
But on the other hand, while this boom may help boost local economies, if for some reason there’s an economic downturn, we could see huge swathes of communities falling apart.
Ranging from job losses to reduction in community college funding, the fallout could be significant if these cities fail to diversify their taxation income.
Will You Be Voting Yes on 77?
There’s very little evidence of pushback on amendment 77 in the United States, meaning it should pass with flying colors.
If it does pass, we could see 77 come into place before the year is out, giving casinos a massive amount of control over their games and limits!
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