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Maryland Senate Takes Up Gambling Bill

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The Maryland State Senate took up legislation this afternoon that would expand gambling by adding table games and a sixth casino in Prince George’s County.

The measure is expected to be taken up by the Senate Budget and Taxation committee.

It will eventually go to the House of Delegates where it faces a much tougher road to passage.

A majority of the Lower shore’s delegates and senator favor legalizing table games and allowing Ocean downs to stay open 24 hour a day.

But, they do have concerns about competition from the proposed new casino as well as reducing the state’s take on gambling revenues.

The measure would increase the money to local jurisdictions.

Ocean Downs must now provide 5.5 percent of its monthly revenue to Worcester County, Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin.

The proposed legislation would add another $200-thousand to that.    

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.