Card Player – The state of Indiana may take a look at its gambling industry this summer with an official legislative study committee, the Associated Press reported. The report said that casino tax revenue has dropped from nearly $876 million in 2009 to about $752 million in fiscal 2013. That decline has been partially due to Indiana’s three casinos near Cincinnati experiencing diminishing revenue since a casino opened in Cincinnati last year. Final decisions on the committee reportedly will come later this month.
In addition to Cincinnati, Ohio has put casinos in Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus. Illinois—Indiana’s neighbor to the west—has also been looking at beefing up its gambling industry, but has had trouble passing legislation to do so.
In March of last year, Indiana lawmakers had a proposal to expand gambling in the state, but the governor said that he was opposed to the ideas. Right now, the state of Indiana has 13 riverboats and land-based casinos with slots and table games and racetrack casinos with only slots.
Supporters of doing something to reverse dwindling revenues cite how casino tax money has helped local communities with things like roads. Many say they depend on casino money.
