Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, says the General Assembly missed a prime opportunity for guaranteed job creation this session by not immediately approving live dealers for the state’s racetrack casinos.
The initial gaming bill this session allowed racinos to add a limited number of table games with live dealers.
But Gov. Mike Pence weighed in with lawmakers, objecting to live dealers because he viewed it as gaming expansion.
So the Senate changed the language, allowing the racinos to add live dealers beginning in January of 2021 — something that doesn’t please Sen. Lanane.
“That’s not much of a jobs accomplishment to say that maybe we’ll have jobs in five years,” he says.
But the final bill delayed live dealers a little bit further until March of 2021, potentially after a new governor is sworn in.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, says those two months are important.
“I can tell you no governor has their feet on the ground the day after inauguration, nor do any of their commissions,” Bosma says. “And I was the one who asked for that to change so a new governor could get their feet on the ground and get their boards in place.”
The final language says racinos can petition the Indiana Gaming Commission for permission to add live dealers.
