Proposal 1 in Michigan

[cab4656]

I live in Michigan. I have recently seen commercials trying to persuade me to vote for/vote against Proposal 1. All I really have gotten out of it is that it affects how gambling can be regulated in the state. According to one ad I just saw, people want to put slot machines and video poker machines all over the state.

Does anyone else in Michigan know anything about this? I'm not a slot machine player, but if voting one way or the other could help create more casinos (that might have poker rooms), I would like to know.

[fnurt]

The proposal only relates to slot machines and other mechanical forms of gambling. Right now, it's up to the state if you get to put a video poker machine in your bar, racetrack, or whatever. If the proposal passes, the state would lose the power to let you do this; there would have to be a statewide referendum on any request to put slots or video poker anywhere outside the existing state/tribal casinos.

As for how this impacts poker, your guess is as good as mine. The best I can come up with is that a "yes" vote helps the current casinos preserve their monopoly power, which makes them more money and may lead to them building/expanding poker rooms.

I am pretty sure any NEW casinos would have to be approved by the Legislature in the first instance, so I don't think this proposal is going to impact whether new casinos get built at all. To the best of my understanding, it just affects whether slots get placed in non-casino properties.

[cardcounter0]

"The best I can come up with is that a "yes" vote helps the current casinos preserve their monopoly power, which makes them more money and may lead to them building/expanding poker rooms."

I would argue just the opposite. If you break the casinos monopoly, and people can play slot machines in lots of different places, then it gives the casino more incentive to offer other unique forms of gambling, like poker rooms, since they can't rely on a captive slot player market.