North Carolina: Hard Feelings from Casino Debate Could Scuttle Gambling Expansion Bills

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (center) suggests opposing forces might not be able to find enough agreement for any gambling bills to move forward. (Image: Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP)

North Carolina Republicans battled last year over whether to allow four casinos to be built as a part of the state budget. Now that dispute could indirectly cause the downfall of another gambling expansion bill this year.

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) told CBS 17 WNCN that “hard feelings” over last year’s debate over casinos could prevent action being taken on allowing video lottery terminals (VLTs) in bars and restaurants in the current session.

House, Senate GOP Sparred Over Casino Legislation 

Las year, Senator Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) led a push to allow four more casinos in North Carolina. The majority of GOP members in the state legislature supported the plan, but enough were opposed, and without enough Democratic support for the budget, the plan was ultimately discarded. 

At the time, Berger accused members of the state House of breaking their word on including his casino proposal in the annual budget if at least half of the House GOP members supported it. But House leadership said that including it was a nonstarter if they wanted a budget to pass. 

“The only way the House can pass a budget is if it does not include gaming in it,” Moore said last September. “We’re fine moving forward with a budget because everything else has been agreed upon between the two chambers.”

Berger chose not to introduce the casino legislation again this year, saying that he wanted any gaming bills to originate in the House, so that it would be clear if there were enough votes to support such measures. 

VLTs Fail to Make Progress During Budget Talks

The North Carolina legislature is now considering whether to make changes to the two-year budget they ultimately passed last year. Economists have downgraded the state’s financial situation since the budget was first put forward, reducing an estimated surplus from $1.4 billion to $987 million.

That has led to renewed talks about gaming expansion as a potential source of income. Non-partisan estimates showed that legalizing VLTs could add about $1 billion in annual revenue for the state.

However, the proposal hasn’t made much progress, and Moore blames last year’s casino dispute.

“I do think that the conversation last year as it related to casinos has put a shadow over the discussion about updates to the lottery with VLTs and so forth,” Moore said.

North Carolina lawmakers have had success on other gambling expansion efforts. Last year, lawmakers approved mobile sports betting in the state, with sites opening for business this March.

That law was passed outside of the budget process as a standalone bill. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has said that he’d like to see that same process for future gaming legislation.

“I’ve said before that this is an issue that should be decided outside of the budget,” Gov. Cooper, a Democrat, said last year when the casino debate threatened the passage of the state budget. “It shouldn’t be holding up a budget that can help move the state forward, that’s for sure.”